BMW Group Malaysia is throwing its support for Eye on the Ball, a Malaysian documentary by Chen Yih Wen. The documentary, which centers on the Malaysian national blind football team will hit cinemas nationwide from Thursday, 19th March 2020.
The support shown by the automotive group is understandable, because not only is Eye on the Ball a good story but its director was also a Grand Prize Winner of the BMW Shorties in 2010.
In 2010, Yih Wen took home the much coveted BMW Shorties grand prize with her winning short film, Like Toy Dolls, a haunting story on abandoned infants and the act of baby dumping. She was also the first female to win the BMW Shorties grand prize, paving the way for the likes of Ekin Kee Charles – who is the youngest female Grand Prize Winner of the BMW Shorties 2019.
Today, Yih Wen is championing the story of the visually-impaired. Her riveting documentary Eye on the Ball, follows the remarkable journey of the Malaysian national blind football team who began in 2009 as a group of part-time footballers, only to become gold medalists at the 8th ASEAN Para Games in 2015 in Singapore.
BMW Group Malaysia and the BMW Shorties are proud to support Eye on the Ball, as well as the Pan-Disability Football Club – home of the football team her film is based on. A contribution of RM10, 000 was presented to Sunny Shalesh, the football coach and founder of the Pan-Disability Football Club to further support and kickstart the club’s goal of establishing their own permanent training centre.
“Yih Wen has outdone herself once again with Eye on the Ball, a film that will definitely capture the hearts of Malaysians. Her story of the Malaysian national blind football team is truly inspiring and we at BMW Group Malaysia are so proud of her career, achievements and to be supporting her film. Her success story, amongst the many other film makers and digital content creators discovered through the BMW Shorties program, is the very reason the program exists – discovering and supporting Malaysian talent!” said Sashi Ambi, Head of Corporate Communications of BMW Group Malaysia.
“It is truly humbling to tell the story of how our national blind football team overcame the many challenges to get to where they are today. It was also so important for me to show the audience the positivity they radiate as individuals and as a team, especially when they are out on the field. I am very grateful to have the BMW Shorties’ support for Eye on the Ball and the Pan-Disability Football Club. To have them standing by my side again, ten years on, means a lot to me.” said Yih Wen.
The BMW Shorties was initiated 14 years ago as a prestigious short film competition to provide aspiring filmmakers and creatives of Malaysia a platform to champion their passion and stories as well as the stories of Malaysians. Today, the prestigious short film competition continues to do so and is a platform for the Malaysian local film and content creator community.
Eye on the Ball had its international premiere at the Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival in London, Manchester and Newcastle in September last year. The documentary also garnered international recognition, having been nominated for the Best Foreign Documentary at the Oslo Film Festival, amongst others.
Catch Eye on the Ball in cinemas nationwide from Thursday, 19th March 2020. Check out the trailer HERE
