MALAY IDENTITY AND CINEMATIC REALISM: A CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF MUNAFIK (2016)

Abstract

This article addresses the criticism that commercially oriented box office films often prioritize financial gain over the authentic portrayal of cultural identity. Focusing on the representation of Malay identity, this study examines the Malaysian film Munafik (2016). The analysis is guided by Mieke Bal’s cultural analysis (2002), André Bazin’s cinematic realism (1967), and Abdul Latif Bakar’s (2012) concept of Malay identity, applied to the film’s thematic, narrative, and visual elements. Employing a qualitative approach through document analysis and descriptive discussion, the study explores how Malay identity is constructed through the main characters and their struggles with supernatural disorders in a postmodern context.The findings reveal four key markers of Malay identity: strong Islamic faith and practices, respect for traditional healing methods, emphasis on family values, and the tension between modernity and spirituality. These elements demonstrate that Munafik integrates cultural authenticity with commercial appeal, proving that box office success and dignified cultural representation are not mutually exclusive. This study underscores Malay cinema’s role in sustaining cultural identity, urging policymakers, filmmakers, and scholars to advance authentic representation, educational value, and interdisciplinary research on identity in multicultural contexts.