Screenwriters are up in arms over the disqualification of films 'Ola Bola' and 'Jagat' from winning the best film category in Festival Filem Malaysia 2016.

'Ola Bola' and 'Jagat' were not nominated for 'best film' because the dialogue was not fully in Bahasa Malaysia, and were thus nominated for 'Best Non-Bahasa Melayu Film'.

"We're annoyed and concerned that this 'Non-Bahasa Melayu Film' category exists and that quality films we should be proud of like 'Ola Bola' and 'Jagat', are lumped here.

"Why must the Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) and Film Producers Association Malaysia (PFM) create a racist category like 'Non-Bahasa Melayu Films'?" Selangor and Kuala Lumpur Screenwriters Association (Penulis) Alfian Palermo said in a statement.

"How are Finas and PFM instilling unity in Malaysian cinema? Where is the 1Malaysia advocated by the government? This is Festival Film Malaysia (Malaysian Film Festival), not Festival Filem Melayu (Malay Film Festival)," he said.

He added the fact that films like 'Mat Moto - Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit' are nominated for best film underscores how the list is an annual "national embarrassment".

As such the nomination mechanism needs to be revamped, he asserted.

'Ola Bola' and 'Jagat' are nominated in multiple categories including 'Best Non-Bahasa Melayu Film', Best Director (of a non-Bahasa Melayu film), Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay (for a non-Bahasa Melayu film).

Nominees for 28th Festival Filem Malaysia are as follows.

Best Film:

Nota;

Polis Evo;

Munafik;

Jejak Warriors; and

Mat Moto - Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit.

Best Non-Bahasa Melayu Film:

Ola Bola;

Maravan;

Jagat;

Huat the Fish; and

The Kid from The Big Apple.

Best Director:

Ghaz Abu Bakar (Polis Evo);

Saw Teong Hin (Jejak Warriors);

Shamyl Othman (Rembat);

Syamsul Yusof (Munafik); and

Wan Hasliza Wan Zainuddin (Love Supermoon).

Best Director (of a non-Bahasa Malaysia film):

Chiu Keng Guan (Ola Bola);

Jess Teong (The Kid from the Big Apple);

Puvarendran Selvaraja (Maravan);

Shanjhey Kumar Perumal (Jagat); and

Yee Kwan Huan & Silver (Huat the Fish).

Best New Director:

Feroz Kader (Suamiku Encik Perfect);

Pekin Ibrahim (Mat Moto - Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit);

Shanjey Kumar Perumal (Jagat);

Jess Teong (The Kid from The Big Apple); and

Daven Raghavan (CCTV).

Best Actress:

Lisa Surihani (Suamiku Encik Perfect);

Maya Karin (Nota);

Maya Karin (Jwanita);

Nabila Huda (Munafik); and

Nadiya Nisaa (Love Supermoon).

Best New Actress:

Falisha Crosley (Mat Moto - Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit);

Marianne Tan (Ola Bola);

Nur Risteena (Girlfriend Kontrak);

Raja Ilya (Suamiku Encik Perfect); and

Zara Zya (Rembat).

Best Actor:

Aaron Aziz (Suamiku Encik Perfect);

Aniu (Rembat);

Pekin Ibrahim (Mat Moto - Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit);

Shahiezy Sam (Polis Evo); and

Zizan Razak (Polis Evo)

Best New Actor:

Adam Shahz (Juvana 2 - Terperangkap Dalam Kebebasan);

Che Amar (Chowrasta);

Keith Foo (Girlfriend Kontrak);

Mas Khan (Biasan); and

Saran Kumar (Ola Bola).

Best Supporting Actress:

Adeline Tsen (Gamatisme);

Aminah Rhapor (Chowrasta);

Anne Ngasri (Love Supermoon);

Christina Suzanne (Jwanita); and

Fauziah Ahmad Daud (Langit Cinta).

Best Supporting Actor:

Ramli Hassan (Nota);

Azad Jazmin (Girlfriend Kontrak);

Hasnul Rahmat (Juvana 2 - Terperangkap Dalam Kebebasan);

Hushairi Husain (Polis Evo); and

Sri Balasubramaniam (Ola Bola).

Best Child Actor:

Aliff Firdaus (Jejak Warriors);

Harvind Raj (Jagat);

Ryqal Iskandar (Cicakman 3);

Sivantharan Nambiar (Ola Bola); and

Tan Qin Lin (The Kid from the Big Apple).

Best Original Screenplay:

Ola Bola;

Rempat;

Mat Moto - Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit;

Jagat; and

The Kid from the Big Apple.

Best Screenplay:

Nota;

Suamiku Encik Perfect;

Polis Evo;

Mat Moto - Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit; and

Love Supermoon.

Best Screenplay (of a non-Bahasa Malaysia film):

Ola Bola;

The Kid from the Big Apple;

Huat The Fish;

Maravan; and

Jagat.

Best Cinematography:

Polis Evo;

Bravo 5;

Munafik;

Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit; and

Jagat.

Best Editing:

Ola Bola;

Jagat;

The Kid From the Big Apple;

Polis Evo; and

Munafik.

Best Art Direction:

Jagat;

Bravo 5;

Ola Bola;

Huat the Fish; and

The Kid From the Big Apple.

Best Direction Sound:

Rembat;

Polis Evo;

Munafik;

Mat Moto – Kami Mat Moto Bukan Mat Rempit; and

Villa Nabila.

Best Sound Effect:

Kapsul;

Ola Bola;

Munafik;

Cicakman 3; and

The Noise.

Best Costume:

Ola Bola;

Cicakman 3;

Bravo 5;

The Kid From the Big Apple; and

Polis Evo.

Best Original Score:

Chowrasta;

Jwanita;

Pilot Café;

Ola Bola; and

Munafik.

Best Original Theme Song:

Nur Zaidi Abd Rahman – Langit Cinta (Dayang Nurfaizah);

Syamsul Yusof – Kalah Dalam Menang (Syamsul Yusof & Mawi);

Edry Abdul Halim – Adiwira (Zizan Razak & KRU);

Nur Zaidi Abd Rahman – Untuk Cinta (Dayang Nurfaizah); and

Zee Avi & Rendra Zawawi – Arena Cahaya (Zee Avi).