Izwan, a quiet 12-year-old boy, contemplates on releasing Bulan, a Hercules beetle which he inherited from his late grandfather. He chooses to keep Bulan, but in doing so, he faces challenges by keeping this a secret from his mother and close friend Fadzli. A while later, Fadzli finds out about Bulan but instead of ratting him out, he helps Izwan to find a suitable candidate for Bulan as the responsibility is taking its toll on Izwan. The two boys manage to find a suitable new owner but Izwan is having second thoughts. The two boys delayed the deal to the next day. Unfortunately, on the day of the deal, Bulan goes missing and Izwan’s mother returns home unexpectedly, catching Izwan red-handed in his lie. However, his mother sees Izwan’s desperation after losing Bulan and goes on to help him. They find Bulan, however, this time around, Izwan decided to properly release Bulan into the wild.

A Viddsee Original Production

Director's Statement:

The story of Bulan has taken so many turns that coincidentally, it made a full circle. The story and the key element hasn’t changed since its original pitch but the way it was being told certainly has. The film now is a strong reflection of the relationship between my mother and I.

As I was writing the story, the initial goal was to write about how close Izwan and his grandfather was, a wishful thinking of my relationship with my distant late father. But as I wrote the story, it became more about Izwan neglecting the love his mother has for him. And indirectly, it was about my relationship with my mother, who has been by my side since day one, including her aiding me in this very short film. The film now after coming full circle, is a story that I really love. It is personal yet detached from me, in every way possible.