Pavane for an Infant


Pavane for an Infant is a 2024 Malaysian drama film co-produced by Malaysia and Hong Kong, written and directed by Chong Keat Aun, and starring Fish Liew, Natalie Hsu, Ben Yuen and Pearlly Chua.
The film premiered at the at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival as part of the Asian Future on 30 October 2024. It went on to receive the Youth Jury Award at the 39th Fribourg International Film Festival and was honored as the Opening Film of the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival.. The film was selected as the Malaysian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.

Premise

In multicultural Malaysia society, the mere existence of a baby hatch remains a whispered taboo, condemned and branded as an enabler of moral decay, punishable by God. Three committed employees of a Kuala Lumpur baby hatch facility navigate a maze of societal opposition to empower women from diverse backgrounds grappling with the complex notion of bodily autonomy.

Cast

  • Fish Liew as Lai Sum
  • Natalie Hsu as Siew Man
  • Ben Yuen as Keong
  • Pearlly Chua as Kam
  • Yuan Teng as Ming
  • Jasmine Suraya as Nurul
  • Tan Mei Ling as Fatimah

    Release

The film had its world premiere at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival and was subsequently released theatrically in Hong Kong on 19 June 2025, Malaysia on 14 August 2025 and later in Taiwan on 19 September 2025.

Accolades