“Lazada’s Proj. Add M To Life: Winning Hearts Through Film”

The Lazada Proj. Add to Life film competition has come to a thrilling conclusion with the unveiling of “Add M to Life,” a captivating creation by the 24-year-old student and aspiring filmmaker, Rubathinesh Nair. Out of a pool of 45 entries that responded to the open call in June, Rubathinesh’s film emerged as the Malaysian winner of this regional competition, which spanned across Southeast Asia in countries where Lazada operates, including the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore.

Originally submitted as a story concept, “Add M to Life” struck a chord with the esteemed panel of judges with its enchanting narrative. The story revolves around new neighbors whose relationship starts with misunderstandings but evolves into an exploration of life’s intricacies. As they share magical moments together, they come to realize that every morning, mistake, and moment (every “M”) they have experienced has profound meaning. The film secured production funding of up to USD50,000 (approximately RM230,000) and was developed under the guidance and mentorship of renowned local film industry leaders as part of the Directors Think Tank.

Irene Cheah, Lazada Malaysia’s Chief Marketing Officer, emphasized that Proj. Add to Life is Lazada’s initiative to empower the creative talents of Malaysia’s aspiring filmmakers. The eCommerce platform aims to enable Malaysian youth to pursue their passion in the arts and film, encouraging them to craft deeper, richer, and more meaningful stories about Malaysia, including its culture, beliefs, and way of life.

“Lazada has always strived to be more than just an eCommerce platform; we intend to be a bridge that connects consumers with their passions, desires, and aspirations. When shoppers add to cart, they are also effectively adding to life the things that are meaningful to them. Proj. Add to Life is our way of allowing young consumers, budding filmmakers, and creative visionaries to share their unique interpretations of what ‘Add to Life’ means to them while giving them the opportunity to add creativity to their lives by expressing themselves through film,” she stated.

Maurice Noone, co-founder and film director at Directors Think Tank, who served as a mentor and judge for the competition, lauded Lazada’s efforts in providing a platform for young, aspiring filmmakers. He commended Rubathinesh’s winning script for its unique theatrical approach and expressed pride in supporting the next generation of filmmakers.

With the guidance and feedback of Directors Think Tank, Rubathinesh expanded his heartfelt story of “Add M to Life” with a theatrical twist on the conventional love story. The film was brought to life under the supervision of Benedict Lazaroo, one of Directors Think Tank’s producers and a passionate short film enthusiast.

The journey to bring this script to life spanned three weeks, from pre-production to assembling the team, including the Director of Photography, Art Director, Wardrobe Stylist, and Actors. Filming took place over an intense three-day period, with locations ranging from an apartment to a café in Bukit Bintang and a street in the Pudu Area. Shot using anamorphic lenses, the film was meticulously crafted in a cinematic style, even utilizing a drone to capture a pivotal balcony sequence.

Benedict Lazaroo emphasized, “It was important that it was Ruba’s vision that was captured, and not lost in the production process. We made sure to stay true to the spirit of the script as much as possible to create something engaging and memorable.”

Rubathinesh Nair, the young filmmaker behind “Add M to Life,” expressed his gratitude for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity provided by Lazada. He highlighted the invaluable learning experience that came with it and how it opened doors for young filmmakers like him to explore storytelling and filmmaking as a potential career path.

Watch “Add M to Life” here or learn more about Proj. Add to Life here.