ABOUT US
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Apparat is an independent film production company based in Malaysia, founded by filmmakers Nandita Solomon and Dain Said. We produce bold fiction and documentary films in collaboration with storytellers across Asia and beyond.
Apparat is an independent film production company based in Malaysia, founded by filmmakers Nandita Solomon and Dain Said. We produce bold fiction and documentary films in collaboration with storytellers across Asia and beyond.
Our debut feature Bunohan (2011) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was Malaysia’s official submission to the 85th Academy Awards — only the country’s second ever. Since then, our films have screened at major international festivals including Rotterdam, BFI London, Locarno Piazza Grande, Sitges, and Jogja NETPAC, and have been acquired by Universal Pictures, HBO, Netflix, Disney+ and Discovery.
Our debut feature Bunohan (2011) premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was Malaysia’s official submission to the 85th Academy Awards — only the country’s second ever. Since then, our films have screened at major international festivals including Rotterdam, BFI London, Locarno Piazza Grande, Sitges, and Jogja NETPAC, and have been acquired by Universal Pictures, HBO, Netflix, Disney+ and Discovery.
Led by Dain and Nandita, Apparat oversees all stages of development, production, post-production, marketing, and distribution. We’re currently developing several feature films, original series, and feature-length creative documentaries, while also exploring installation, mixed media, and other forms of visual storytelling.
Led by Dain and Nandita, Apparat oversees all stages of development, production, post-production, marketing, and distribution. We’re currently developing several feature films, original series, and feature-length creative documentaries, while also exploring installation, mixed media, and other forms of visual storytelling.
We’re committed to telling distinctive stories and building meaningful collaborations across cultures and mediums.
We’re committed to telling distinctive stories and building meaningful collaborations across cultures and mediums.
OUR TEAM
OUR TEAM
NANDITA SOLOMON
NANDITA SOLOMON
Co-founder; Creative Producer, Writer
Nandita draws inspiration from Southeast Asia’s rich heritage and dynamic future to shape distinctive stories and unique characters in films that bridge the local and the global. Nandita had produced a range of award-winning Malaysian feature films, documentaries and video art installations that have all been screened and sold internationally. She has participated in international programs including Locarno Open Doors Producers Lab, EAVE Ties That Bind, Crossing Borders and Torino Film Lab, and has presented projects at international markets and forums such as Hong Kong’s HAF, Focus Asia Genre Market in Udine, Bucheon NAFF IT Project Market, Singapore’s SAFF and Docedge Calcutta. She has served on the jury of the Jogjakarta Netpac Asian Film Festival (2019), Freedom Film Festival (2019), and as a mentor for the Singapore SEA Film Academy in 2020.
DAIN SAID
DAIN SAID
Co-founder; Director, Writer
Dain Said is a Malaysian filmmaker, writer, and visual artist known for bold, genre-defying films that explore memory, identity, and the human condition. His versatile directing career spans features, tv commercials, creative documentaries and video installations that have been produced and screened internationally.
His breakout feature Bunohan premiered at TIFF and was Malaysia’s official Oscar submission, followed by Interchange, Dukun and Harum Malam, which screened at Sitges and Fantastic Fest before being picked up by Disney+ and Shudder. A co-founder of Apparat, Dain also works in visual art and media installations. He is currently developing new feature films and serves as Festival Director of the SeaShorts Film Festival.
CARMEN HAU
CARMEN HAU
Assistant Producer
Since joining Apparat in 2022, Carmen has been involved in the development, production, and post-production of various feature films and documentaries, as well as being involved in the marketing and distribution for Apparat's latest feature, Harum Malam. Her recent works include the short doc Becoming Ndang and the mixed-media installation Imagining Ali Wallace, and she is currently involved in the development of several upcoming Apparat titles, including MOTO and FARID.
She also coordinated the Malaysian screening tour of the Hong Kong documentary Revolution of Our Times, and was the sole international volunteer at the 2023 Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival. Carmen served as volunteer manager for SeaShorts 2024 and is currently the festival’s publicity manager for its 2025 edition.
PARTNERS IN CREATION
PARTNERS IN CREATION
BEN OMAR
BEN OMAR
Editor, Writer
With nearly 15 years of experience in various aspects of the Malaysian industry, Ben Omar has honed his skills over the last 10 years almost exclusively in the areas of long-form documentary and feature film editing and scriptwriting. He leads post-production at Apparat and often collaborates as a co-writer with Nandita Solomon and Dain Said. Ben co-wrote and edited Harum Malam and The Skin (Dir. Dain Said). Dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling, Ben believes the process is as important as the outcomes and is passionate about bringing Malaysian stories to audiences in Malaysia and abroad.
EMIR EZWAN
EMIR EZWAN
Writer, Director, VFX Artist
EMIR EZWAN is a writer, director and VFX artist. His debut feature, ROH, won Best Film at the Malaysian Film Festival 2020 and was Malaysia’s official submission to the Oscars that year. The film was praised for its symbolism, cinematography and incorporation of Malay folklore. Emir served as VFX Supervisor on Namron’s CROSSROADS: ONE TWO JAGA (2018) and Dain Said’s HARUM MALAM (2022). Emir’s 2nd feature, SABUNG, is currently in post production and slated for a 2026 release.
SIDNEY CHAN
SIDNEY CHAN
Editor, Cinematographer
Sidney starting off his first job as content creator at Grim Film, he found opportunities to direct short films including ‘Delete’ in 2014. This film was selected to be part of ‘Three Doors of Horror’ series by local director James Lee. In the same year, Sidney finished as a runner-up at the Astro Circle Sundance with ‘Fish Lantern’. This was followed by a personal favourite, ‘Gift of Gab’ winning second prize at the 2015 Berjaya Youth Short Film Competition.
Sidney’s latest work is “From Aini to Europa”, a science-fiction fantasy about two stepsisters bonding over a radio that is seemingly in contact with an extra-terrestrial friend. The film is a top 10 finalist in BMW Shorties 2024.
ALBERT BANSA
ALBERT BANSA
Documentary Filmmaker
Albert Bansa is documentary filmmaker from Dalat, Sarawak who is passionate about strengthening indigenous narratives through his films. He is known for Pengidup Aku (2019), Baliu Kano Kai (2022) and Monorel (2025).
MOHD NAEEM
MOHD NAEEM
Documentary Filmmaker
An adventure enthusiast with diverse work experience. After almost a decade in the outdoor-related business, he started dabbling in environmental affiliations. Naeem has been involved in the production of various travelogues and documentaries in the past and has an affinity for non-fiction filmmaking. He loves staying fit and discovering new things.
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