At the forefront
Gol & Gincu is set to score once again with a reboot film.
THIRTEEN years after Gol & Gincu was released in cinemas – which was followed by a 26-episode series a year later (2006-2007) – the premise centering on women’s friendship and rivalry in university is revisited for another round. But this time, with a completely new cast and an update on the story.
“(Gol & Gincu Vol. 2) is a reboot, not a sequel,” explained Lina Tan of Red Films, the producer of the Gol & Gincu franchise.
“While the film is still about women in college, and it revolves around futsal and fashion, it also looks at the current issues about social media.
“In today’s setting, everyone is free to criticise and pass judgement on others thanks to social media. This has put pressure for us to be more successful, prettier, smarter, etc. This film explores some of the issues that stems from that, especially on young people.”
In 2005, Gol & Gincu elevated actresses Fazura and Sazzy Falak to star status. Vol. 2 features established talents Diana Danielle (Hanyut) and Ummi Nazeera (Penanggal )in the lead roles.
The production team finalised on the two actresses after seeing their chemistry during the final callback.
Diana and Ummi play two university students who share a similar name (Zakiah) but they have very different personalities.
A heated argument between the two leads to a physical fight that’s captured on camera, and it naturally goes viral on social media.
As punishment for their immature behaviour, both of them are made to do community work at a teenage girls’ home.
In the course of the punishment, the two must find a way to work together and set an example to the teenage girls under their tutelage.
Director Umi Salwana Omar – making her debut as a film director after helming Oh My English! episodes and being an assistant director on Istanbul Aku Datang and Songlap – hopes the audience “can see the importance of values these characters carry such as love, friendship, loyalty, integrity and determination” after watching the movie.
Actress Diana shares the sentiment as she was among the youths who took the message Gol & Gincu conveyed back when she was a teenager to heart – that women have a voice and women’s stories are just as important.
To ensure they bring justice to their characters and the film, both Diana and Ummi went the extra mile in preparing themselves for the roles that require them to be sporty and fit.
Umi Salwana said: “We planned out their diet and training six weeks prior to the shoot. They were so dedicated to this project that they even hired their own personal trainers.
“During rehearsals and shoots, we ensured that their food met with the required nutrients in order for them to gain the fitness levels. This was also important as Ummi was at her early stage of pregnancy.”
Both actresses were fine with how the production wanted them to look for the roles.
Diana, for example, cut her hair really short for the film. And Ummi – who wears the hijab – hired fashion stylist Min Luna to come up with sportswear that are stylish and respectful.
Vol. 2 also promises better futsal action sequences, thanks to the casting of national women’s futsal player Intan Serah, who confessed that acting was much harder than playing futsal.
Umi Salwana said: “I chose Intan Serah because her bubbly personality fits the character and she’s a fantastic futsal player.
“This allowed me to get great, natural futsal shots during the match scenes. She also helped the coach the girls.”
Others in the cast include newcomers Jad Hidzir, Tiara Anchant, Nik Nasuhah, Annabel Michael, Grace Ng and Iezahdiyana Alaudin.
The film also features actresses Sazzy Falak and Sharifah Amani – who are reprising their roles from the 2005 film but are now playing grown-ups – as well as actors Syafiq Kyle and Aedy Ashraf.
While Umi Salwana admitted it was a challenge to preserve the spirit and theme of the first film, she made sure the reboot remains current as well as relatable to old and new fans.
She said: “Fashion trends, music tastes and lifestyles change over the years, so I wanted to keep Vol. 2 relevant and at the same time maintain the values that was set in the first Gol & Gincu.”
Commenting on why the return of Gol & Gincu is timely, Tan said: “I really wanted to bring back a local film with strong female lead characters as there are hardly any nowadays.
“We are also celebrating the diversity and relationships of women in Malaysia with recognisable names and a talented new cast as well as introducing a female director.”
Gol & Gincu Vol. 2 opens at cinemas nationwide on Oct 25.