Malaysia’s ‘Bleat!’ Breaks Ground at Cannes with Bold Tale of Faith, Identity, and a Pregnant Goat

May 5, 2025: Bleat!, a groundbreaking Malaysian short film by director Ananth Subramaniam, has released its official trailer ahead of its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Critics Week—marking the first time a Malaysian short has been selected for the festival.

This 15-minute film tells a striking and thought-provoking story of an elderly Malaysian-Tamil couple who face a profound ethical and cultural dilemma. When they discover that their male goat, destined for ceremonial slaughter, is actually pregnant, they are torn between religious duty, social expectations, and personal conscience.

Produced by Choo Mun Bel of Sixtymac Pictures and co-produced by Subramaniam’s Idio Sync Inc., alongside DW Productions (France), Epicmedia Productions (Philippines), and Belgium’s Hors du Bocal (handling international sales), Bleat! represents a significant moment for Malaysian cinema on the global stage.

The film is only the fifth Malaysian project to make it to Cannes, following the acclaimed Tiger Stripes (2023), The Tiger Factory (2010), Karaoke (2009), and The Arsonist (1995). Amanda Nell Eu’s Tiger Stripes notably won the Critics Week Grand Prize in 2023.

Subramaniam, a Malaysian filmmaker of Tamil descent, is known for developing culturally resonant stories. He co-founded Idio Sync to spotlight Tamil narratives and previously directed The House Of Brick And Stone and Liar Land. His upcoming debut feature, The Passport, won the Bucheon Award at Korea’s BiFan NAFF Project Market in 2023.

Hors du Bocal praised Bleat! as “one of the most original, funny, and absurd films we’ve had the chance to see.”

Reflecting on the film’s deeper meaning, Subramaniam said, “There’s this unspoken rule when you grow up as a minority: as long as you behave like a goat, everything’s fine. The moment that goat shows desire, independence, or steps beyond its little patch of farmland, everything around it starts trembling. It’s a strange experience of being made to feel like a stranger in your own house.”

With its unique blend of humor, cultural introspection, and existential conflict, Bleat! is poised to leave an indelible mark on the global film festival circuit.