PETRONAS tackles the hardships of CNY in heartwarming film

Malaysian oil and gas company PETRONAS is ushering in the Chinese New Year with two heartwarming brand films. 

The films, titled "When The Heart Calls" and "To Those Who Wait To Celebrate", weaves together two perspectives across two different eras. 

Don't miss: These are the best CNY ads in Malaysia for 2024

"When The Heart Calls" follows a married woman called Ting Ting who spends the first day of Chinese New Year with her husband's family. While celebrations are happening, she sneaks into an office to call her family and wish them a happy new year. 

Tears began to flow as her parents express their excitement for her return on the second day of Chinese New Year. Her husband later comes to comfort her and tells her that they would make the tradition work for them. 

The film then educates viewers that in Chinese culture, the first day of Chinese New Year is spent at the husband's family homes. Families return to the wife's family home on the second day. Ting Ting is then seen joining her husband's family at the table. 

"When The Heart Calls" ends with a framed picture of Ting Ting and her husband's family. It later reveals the couple - now older - at the table with their daughter. Ting Ting's husband shared how he can't bear the thought of his daughter going through the same pain that Ting Ting and many other women feel on the first day of the new year. 

The ending leads straight into the second brand film, "To Those Who Wait To Celebrate". In this film, Ting Ting - now older - is on the phone with their eldest daughter who expresses sadness at her inability to spend the first day of Chinese New Year with her family.

Ting Ting and her husband later take the opportunity to teach their younger daughter about the traditions around Chinese New Year as a married woman.

The couple later reveal that they made the tradition work by saving the biggest and brightest celebrations for the second day. The film later cuts to the return of their eldest daughter on the second day of Chinese New Year.

It ends with the message of finding a way to hold onto traditions without letting them stand in the way of progress and a short clip from "When The Heart Calls' where a young Ting Ting is seen calling her family on the first day of Chinese New Year. 

“These films draw inspiration from a true story, paying homage to a cherished tradition that has profoundly touched our hearts," said Fazli Ibrahim, general manager of group strategic relations at Petronas.

"Retold with Petronas’ iconic storytelling heritage in mind, we are honoured to present them in the hope of fostering understanding about our diverse Malaysian heritage.”

Both "When The Heart Calls" and "To Those Who Wait To Celebrate" were directed by Dick Chua. The brand films were also released in tandem with Petronas' golden birthday activities, including a series of stories under "PETRONAS 50 Dreams."

"PETRONAS 50 Dreams" celebrates the company's 50th anniversary. Here, the brand aims to celebrate the rich tapestry of diverse human experiences from fulfilling a terminally ill child’s wish and realising a physically challenged boy’s dream to play basketball, to setting up learning corners (STEM-related) at rural schools.

"When The Heart Calls" and "To Those Who Wait To Celebrate" are just one of the many brand films to have come out this festive season. 

Where "When The Heart Calls" and "To Those Who Wait To Celebrate" are emotional films about how certain traditions have impacted women, car manufacturing brand Perodua took the opportunity to discuss the topic of abundance and sustainability this CNY. 

In the brand film titled "Planting Abundance", a farmer starts his day picking pomelos at a plantation before selling them at a market. He ends his day by bringing a few pomelo fruits home to his family and shares some of the fruits of his labour with his neighbours. 

The film ends with the farmer's daughter planting a pomelo seed in the soil during the lively Chinese New Year celebration that is ongoing at home with family and friends.

Throughout the film, a narrator explains the meaning of abundance and how it can be achieved by sharing our blessings with our neighbours, friends and the community, especially when there is aplenty.

Related articles:
Check out Cetaphil's catchy new CNY jingle
Study: Millennials the biggest spenders during CNY
Watson's Malaysia embraces the chaos of family reunions in new CNY film