This study analyzes the motivations behind Malaysians' decision to watch Prebet Sapu (2020). The aim is to examine whether aspects such as genre, actors, and directors influence viewers' choices to watch the film. Prebet Sapu (also known by its English title, Hail, Driver!) was selected as Malaysia's entry for the Best International Feature Film category at the 94th Academy Awards in Los Angeles in 2022. The film portrays the realities of Malaysian life, addressing societal issues, including political concerns. Employing a qualitative approach, the study conducted interviews with 10 informants to explore various perspectives on why Malaysians are motivated to watch Prebet Sapu (2020). The findings reveal that genre, actors, and several other factors such as the film’s trailer, the film’s review, the film’s poster, the film’s storyline, audience feedback, the color usage, and the film’s marketing contribute to the motivation to watch the film. The study concludes that viewers are drawn to Prebet Sapu (2020) for its genre, cast, and a range of additional influencing elements.
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