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Motif

Name: Motif
Director: Nadiah Hamzah
Released: 2019
Duration: 86 min

Representation Score

6.2/10

Good

2019

Director

Nadiah Hamzah

Runtime

86 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Motif stands out within the crime-thriller genre by focusing on a female-driven investigative perspective. Instead of following standard procedural mechanics, the film prioritizes gendered social dynamics and the friction caused by a woman in a position of authority. The narrative effectively deconstructs the 'lone investigator' cliché by placing the protagonist in direct conflict with patriarchal professional structures. This approach transforms a mystery into a critique of systemic exclusion. While the film excels in gender subversion and cultural specificity, it remains neutral regarding LGBTQ+ themes and offers no visibility for disability representation.

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Category Breakdown

Does Motif have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not include explicit representations of LGBTQ+ identities or same-sex intimacy. Instead, it focuses on the professional challenges faced by the protagonist in a provincial setting.

How does Motif portray gender?

Excellent

Dewi serves as the main intellectual leader, challenging traditional gender hierarchies. Her male colleagues' resistance to her leadership highlights the exclusionary nature of masculine professional structures.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Motif?

Good

Set in Kuala Lumpur and Tanah Merah, the film provides a non-Western framework. This localized setting shifts the crime drama away from typical Anglo-centric perspectives.

How does Motif represent religion and culture?

Good

The story critiques social hierarchies by centering an outsider against a wealthy, provincial community. It explores tensions between centralized authority and local power structures.

Does Motif include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no mention of characters navigating physical or neurodivergent disabilities within the narrative.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional gender hierarchies by positioning a woman as the central intellectual authority.
Provides a non-Western, culturally specific framework through its Malaysian setting.
Critiques insular social institutions and the power dynamics of local elites.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit representation or engagement with LGBTQ+ identities.
Provides no visibility or character development regarding physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Motif focuses on a police investigation and its most obvious innovation is the female perspective that the director imposes. Protagonist Dewi (Sharifah Amani) is a police officer who is sent from the capital of Kuala Lumpur to a provincial area, Tanah Merah (lit. “Red Earth”), to investigate the disappearance of the young daughter of the local community’s richest family. From the beginning, her arrival is greeted with distrust by her male colleagues, who are doubly annoyed by the fact of having an outsider who is also a woman intrude in the community.

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