KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 29 -- Malaysia, no stranger to spine-chilling horror flicks, has long produced hits that creep their way to box-office success - and a new contender is poised to keep that legacy alive.

Last night, Astro Shaw's Malam Terlarang, directed by Nurhanisham Muhammad - better known as Labu - in his feature film debut, held its gala premiere at GSC Mid Valley, where the film certainly gave audiences plenty of chills at its first screening.

Set in the 1980s, the film draws inspiration from the mystical beliefs and cultural rituals of the Nusantara, where it unfolds within a family haunted by generations of buried secrets.

The story follows Mawar, an 18-year-old girl from the quiet town of Kampung Pasir Larung, where her dream...