The first gay movie to be made and shown in Malaysia has proved an unexpected box office success in the conservative Muslim country.
Directed by Khir Rahman, Dalam Botol (In a Bottle) is about a post-op transsexual who comes to realize that she may have been better off as a man. It has already earned more than 1million ringgit ($330,000) at Malaysian cinemas, reports the London Guardian, easily recouping its production and marketing costs of 970,000 ringgit.
Prior to filming, writer and producer Raja Azmi Raja Sulaiman had to submit details to the country’s strict censorship board, which gave its approval following a couple of amendments. According to the Guardian, Malaysian films are not allowed to show support for gay lifestyles: the country still maintains a law against sodomy, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
