An Ipoh-Born Filmmaker Shares His Silent Story with the World
By Anne Das
L.I.F.E. – Living In Fear Everyday is a Malaysian silent short created far from traditional production pathways. The film has since found its way onto international festival screens in the United Kingdom, United States, Thailand, India and Canada, earning selections and awards since late 2025.
Behind the film is Justin Franz, 44, an Ipoh-born filmmaker who grew up here and studied at Anderson School before moving to Kuala Lumpur for work. His entry into filmmaking developed alongside working life, shaped by time, experience and a sustained pull towards storytelling.
Justin grew up in a family of five as the middle child, with an older brother and a younger sister. Family played a strong role in shaping how he connected with stories from a young age.
“I grew up in a family that encouraged us to dream and explore. Movies were a big part of our family life, and trips to the cinema became a shared ritual. That early exposure sparked my love for storytelling,” said Justin.
Over the years, Justin has spoken about filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Kamal Haasan and Denis Villeneuve as key influences on how he approaches storytelling. For L.I.F.E., he chose to strip everything back, using silence as the clearest way to tell a story that could travel across cultural boundaries.
The film was driven by a two-man team. Working with Director of Photography Suran Hassan, Justin oversaw the entire process from planning and filming through to editing and post-production, fitting the project around full-time jobs.
Told entirely without dialogue, L.I.F.E. relies on image, performance and sound to carry its emotional weight. The cast includes first-time performers alongside familiar Malaysian faces such as Ken Thayalan, Elli Famira, Aairenee Zarina and Rika Adrina, with French actor Max Gaudachon adding an international presence to the ensemble.
What began as a deeply personal project soon grew beyond its original scope, reaching audiences far removed from where the film was made.
Before choosing to shoot and produce L.I.F.E. independently, Justin and Suran spent nearly a full year pitching the idea to production houses and funders. The responses, he said, were almost always the same. They were told it was impossible. They were warned how difficult it would be to make a silent film. They were advised to lower their ambitions.
Every doubt and every closed door only sharpened his resolve. The more the world insisted it could not be done, the more determined Justin became to prove otherwise.
Behind the scenes, Justin credits much of his resilience to the people closest to him. Today, he is supported by a partner who constantly encourages him to chase his passion, and by his six-year-old daughter, who reminds him daily why he wants to tell stories that truly matter.
Now, when young filmmakers come to him with their own impossible dreams, he offers them a simple truth.
“It’s kinda fun to do what they say is impossible. Go make it possible and show them how it’s done. Sometimes, the only way forward is straight through the impossible.”
From a modest start, L.I.F.E. has since built a strong presence on the international festival circuit. The film has received selections and recognition at events including the Lift-Off Sessions Global Network in the United Kingdom, the NanoCon International Film Festival in the United States, the Southeast Asia International Film Festival in Thailand and the Toronto Global Film Festival in Canada.
Its run also includes a Best Debut Filmmaker (Short Film) win at the Golden Lion International Film Festival in India, as well as awards for Best Dramatic and Outstanding Performance for Short Film at the Southeast Asia International Film Festival in Thailand.
With his first film now established overseas, Justin is focused on developing future projects, including the possibility of a feature-length work or a silent series. His interest remains rooted in socially driven stories conveyed through visual and emotional storytelling.
“For me, this is just the beginning,” Justin told Ipoh Echo. “L.I.F.E. has reignited why I fell in love with filmmaking in the first place, to tell stories that make people feel, reflect and question the world around them. That is the purpose I want to stay true to in all my projects, stories that are socially conscious, emotionally driven and unapologetically human.”
Justin Franz has taken his first film further than anyone expected, proving that powerful stories do not need permission to travel. For a local boy to take on the world with a silent film, marks the start of something bigger. And it is a journey our community will be following with pride.
NOTE:
The full film is not available for public viewing just yet, as L.I.F.E. – Living In Fear Everyday continues its run on the international festival circuit.
Trailer and updates:https://www.instagram.com/l.i.f.e_movie/
