Malaysian sci-fi Mimpi Kita lands Abnormal Studios deal
Malaysia's Abnormal Studios has secured theatrical distribution rights for Malaysia and Brunei on Mimpi Kita: Castle in the Air, Arifin Ajib's science-fiction fantasy feature, and will serve as worldwide international sales agent outside those territories. The deal gives the Malaysian sci-fi Mimpi Kita project a theatrical path at home and a Busan market launch this October.
The agreement, reported exclusively by Variety, follows the film's recent participation in the NAFF Project Market's It Project strand at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. For a Malaysian genre title, landing a distributor with regional reach is a concrete step from festival circuit toward audiences.
Key Takeaways
- Abnormal Studios holds theatrical rights in Malaysia and Brunei and will act as international sales agent everywhere else.
- The company plans to introduce the title to buyers at the Asian Contents & Film Market in Busan in October.
- Marketing will pair traditional theatrical rollout with Kotodama Lab's audience-engagement algorithm.
- Abnormal Studios is a Westec Media Limited subsidiary that releases roughly 100 titles annually across Southeast Asia and beyond.
What Is Mimpi Kita: Castle in the Air?
Mimpi Kita: Castle in the Air is a science-fiction fantasy feature directed by Arifin Ajib in his feature directorial debut. Anti Gravity Euphoria Sdn Bhd and Da Huang Pictures produce the project; Da Huang is run by Malaysian New Wave filmmaker Tan Chui Mui.
The film surfaced at Bucheon through the NAFF Project Market's It Project strand, a pipeline for genre projects seeking partners. That placement put the title in front of distributors and sales agents before this Abnormal Studios agreement.
Why Does the Abnormal Studios Deal Matter?
Abnormal Studios is not a niche boutique in the region. As a subsidiary of Westec Media Limited, it releases about 100 titles each year across Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Mongolia, and Nepal. Recent releases include How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies and Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In.
For Mimpi Kita, Abnormal will collaborate with the filmmakers on marketing assets and a domestic rollout strategy. Stephanie Lee, director at Abnormal Studios, said Kotodama Lab's audience-building strategy impressed the team and aligns with how the distributor approaches independent Asian cinema.
Executive producer Foo Hui Yin of Kotodama Lab framed the partnership as opening doors the production could not open alone. "As our international sales agent, they're opening doors we couldn't open alone, while also helping us bring the film back to Malaysian audiences first," she told Variety. "It's a real testing ground for pairing audience engagement tools with a traditional theatrical release."
What Happens Next for Release and Sales?
Abnormal Studios will launch international sales for Mimpi Kita: Castle in the Air at the Asian Contents & Film Market in Busan this October, while handling theatrical distribution in Malaysia and Brunei. That split keeps the domestic premiere under a local partner with a broad regional release slate.
For viewers tracking Southeast Asian streaming and theatrical news, the deal signals that Malaysian sci-fi is moving from festival markets toward a structured release plan. Follow more updates in our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage as Busan market activity approaches.
How Will Kotodama Lab's Engagement Tools Shape the Campaign?
Abnormal Studios plans to incorporate Kotodama Lab's audience-engagement algorithm into the theatrical campaign, working with the filmmakers on marketing assets alongside the domestic rollout strategy. The approach pairs data-informed audience building with a traditional cinema release.
Foo Hui Yin noted that BIFAN NAFF put the team in a room with buyers who already understand how to move a story like this. She added that Abnormal Studios stands out because the company has connected independent Asian films with audiences at home and abroad.