Backstroke is a story inspired by the real-life experiences of actors Raymond Kam, raised in Los Angeles, and Benjamin Kheng from Singapore, who shared a love-hate relationship while training professionally as young swimmers. As Asians from vastly different backgrounds on opposite ends of the world, director Isabella Tan wanted to explore male friendship and athletes’ mental health through their relationship with sport, family, and self-identity — crafting a universally resonant Asian film.
Beyond the story itself, the project also serves as a proof of concept to demonstrate the production capability of shooting entirely in Malaysia with the story set in Los Angeles and Singapore. This proof of concept is designed to showcase the strength of the film’s themes, the talent of the creatives involved, and its production potential to prospective investors.
