Kuala Lumpur, 8th December 2025 – BMW Group Malaysia recently premiered ‘Flame of the Forest’, a BMW Shorties funded project by Krityishaa A/P Karunagaran, Grand Prize Winner of the BMW Shorties competition in 2024 at the BMW Shorties Festival 2025.
The BMW Shorties, Malaysia’s longest running Arts & Culture initiative for digital content creation by BMW Group Malaysia, has continued to spotlight the nation’s emerging storytellers who are pushing the boundaries of creativity and social storytelling for 19 years.
A Story Rooted in Identity, Loss, and the Search for Freedom
‘Flame of the Forest‘ follows the story of a young nurse who, while meant to be caring for her grandmother, sneaks out for a brief taste of freedom, only to return to a loss that shatters both her family’s delicate balance and her own sense of self. Set in the roots of the Malaysian Indian community in the small town of Kuala Terla, Cameron Highlands, the story explores generational expectations, cultural pride, and the quiet longing for freedom beneath conservative family structures.
Through this project, Krityishaa captures the emotional tension of a young woman navigating the space between personal desire and family expectations. Altogether, ‘Flame of the Forest’ speaks to the deeply resonant struggle of defining oneself against the weight of tradition.
“To have this story come to life through the BMW Shorties platform has been both humbling and empowering. It is a reminder of what storytelling can do – which is to help us see and be seen, in all our complexity,” She added.
With over seven years of experience as a director, writer, and producer, Ipoh-born Krityishaa has shaped a distinctive voice as a Malaysian storyteller. After initially graduating in Biotechnology, she pivoted to pursue her passion for creative storytelling, earning a degree in Digital Film and Television from Lim Kok Wing University.
Her work has since earned recognition both locally and internationally, with ‘Tomorrow is Spring (வருங்காலம் வசந்தகாலம்)’ winning both the BMW Shorties 2024 Grand Prize and the Malaysian Open Competition at SeaShorts Film Festival 2025, and has been screened at festivals across Vietnam, Indonesia, Brunei, and Thailand.
BMW Shorties Continues Its Legacy of Championing Malaysian Creativity
Sashi Ambihaipahan, Director of Corporate Communications and Sustainability at BMW Group Malaysia, said, “Krityishaa has brought a remarkable depth and nuance to stories told from the communities present here in Malaysia, in not shying away from the tensions between tradition and self-discovery, and between the traditional family construct and values versus a more modern expression in the wants of today’s society. Her honesty and willingness to explore this complexity is what makes ‘Flame of the Forest’ so powerful, showing a maturity in storytelling that goes beyond technique. At BMW Group Malaysia, through the BMW Shorties platform, we are committed to championing local talent with this kind of creative courage and distinctive voice, creating space for stories that challenge perspectives and demonstrate the changing society of a developing culture.’
