On a Friday night, a dim space filled with chairs comes alive with voices and laughter.

It’s a familiar sight at Sinema Raya’s biweekly gatherings, where people come together to talk about movies, discover new films and most importantly, find a space to engage with Malaysian cinema.

Founded by Puteri Nuraaina Balqis Mohd Asri, 31, and Nur Hafizh Asman, 26, the group held its first meetup – which is referred to as “sidang” – in April this year.

Both of them wanted to create a physical place where people could talk about movies on a deeper level.

The gatherings bring together people from different backgrounds and age groups who all share a similar passion.

“There are also a lot of people who come in not knowing much about Malaysian films, but they would leave knowing more about it and would even go out and watch them after receiving recommendations.”

Local actor and filmmaker Megat Sharizal Mohamed Yusoff, 47, has attended every session since the beginning.

Many of his existing friends work in the same industry, so meeting people outside that circle has been refreshing.

“I’m trying to encourage people in other states to organise something similar. We need film communities like this so we can expand our knowledge on the industry rather than simply watching a movie and having a brief discussion after,” he explains.

“There needs to be longevity to the conversations we have, and Sinema Raya has managed to do that.”

Harrish Panicker, 23, found the group after Puteri Nuraaina Balqis responded to his online post discussing why Malaysian films were not reaching global audiences.

“I’ve been trying to connect with more like-minded people so I don’t feel alone in my passion and in the work that I do,” he says, being an aspiring filmmaker himself.

Cultivating cinema culture

For Puteri Nuraaina Balqis, the value of the conversations they have comes from how varied people’s perceptions of films are.

“Films are very speculative works of art. We may watch the same thing but have two different takes. It’s really fun to see them bounce ideas and perspectives between each other,” she notes, adding that they hope this will contribute to greater media literacy as well.

But worry not, Sinema Raya is not reserved only for film buffs.

Cassandra Ng, 21, describes herself as someone who ­watches more movies than the average person in her life, but is not a cinephile by any means.

Not really having many people to discuss films with, she joined looking for that space.

When conversations turned to Malaysian films, she realised she had not seen any of them. Rather than being judged, she was given recommendations on where to start.

“I appreciate getting to learn more about films, especially local ones. It’s also a nice space to learn about Malaysian culture because of how diverse it is,” she says, adding that she’s also made a number of new friends from there.

The sessions are structured by arranging participants into groups of five to discuss a topic. After an hour, they would move into a larger circle to explore the topic on a more general level. In between, Puteri Nuraaina Balqis opens up the floor for people to share their thoughts.

Regular attendee Vimala Shanmugam, 28, enjoys this format and how welcoming everyone is.

Having encountered divisive film discussions online, she appreciates being able to disagree without conversations turning into arguments.

“Everyone is very accepting of different opinions. It’s beautiful how they’ve created a positive and safe space where everyone can just share and bond over films,” says Vimala, who has gained many new friends through the group and enjoys substituting screen time with being in a physical community.

That is what Puteri Nuraaina Balqis and Nur Hafizh ultimately hope to provide with Sinema Raya.

“We want to be a space that allows people to discover themselves, make new friends, and learn something new,” Puteri Nuraaina Balqis says.

“Films are filled with so much magic, and we hope to at least play a small part in cultivating the cinema culture here.”