13 Jun – It seems that more local films are going for an independent style, with the latest being "CEO", ARAfilm's first feature film production. Described as a comedy with "quirky elements" by director Razaisyam Rashid, "CEO" also marks his feature film directorial debut. According to Razaisyam, "CEO" came about after he entered a kickstarter reality show, where he was asked about where he sees himself in five years, to which he began giving serious thought about directing a feature film. Although it has been speculated that "CEO" is a film with a political message (the film's tagline is "Everyone wants to be the boss") as the idea for the film came from Abdul Razak Baginda, a former political analyser who is known for the Altantuya Shaariibuu case, Razaisyam denied that it is a political film. "Yes, the original idea came from Razak Baginda and the funding for the film came from his production company ARAfilm, but there is no hidden political agendas in the film. The script has also been rewritten. I hope there people won't be seeing this film in a negative light," said Razaisyam. The film's leads are essayed by Remy Ishak ("29 Februari") and Beto Kusyairy ("Istanbul Aku Datang"). Appearing alongside Remy and Beto are Cristina Suzanne ("KIL") and Deanna Yusoff. Razaisyam explained that before he conceived of the script, he already had in mind who he wanted to cast in his film, especially Deanna, whom he is a huge fan of.
A summary of the film is as follows: Adam (Ishak) is the CEO of a successful corporate empire while Sufian (Kusyairy) is a pizza boy whose long-term dream is to play pool after hours. The two men's worlds collided when Adam is involved in an accident that results in Sufian taking his place. Having lost everything, Adam is determined to unravel the mystery behind his downfall but Sufian, whose life has taken a turn for the better, is not as eager. Filming is slated to begin on 15 June 2013 around Kuala Lumpur for 25 days, for an expected release date in 2014.