About Us

‘Telan Bulan’ means to ‘Swallow the Moon’ in Bahasa Malaysia. It is based on the Dusun folkloric monster ‘Tarob’ that swallows the sun or moon, causing eclipses.

Formed in 2016 by Sabah-borne filmmaker, Nadira Ilana, Telan Bulan Films was kickstarted with Big Stories Bongkud-Namaus, an Australia-Malaysia co-production. The year-long film residency was part of an international community participatory project, which previously won awards at SXSW and IDFA (International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam). Telan Bulan Films has since produced commercial content for the likes of Maxis, Vivo, Betadine and BBDO Malaysia.

In 2019, Telan Bulan Films produced Bebbra Mailin’s ‘Ninavau’ as part of Pesta Filem Kita. The Kadazan-language short subsequently won Best Short Film at Malaysian International Film Festival, as well as winning awards such as Best Short Film and Best Story at the Malaysian Digital Film Awards that year. Nadira’s short film ‘Tadau om Vuhan Kopisoomo’ (Were the Sun and the Moon to Meet) screened at SEAxSEA Film Festival 2021, Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia and is now doing festival rounds. We are currently in development of Nadira’s first feature film, ‘Wilderness’ set in the tropical city of Kota Kinabalu.