This CNY Film Is a Gentle Call-Out: Reconnection Takes Effort
Let’s be honest: Chinese New Year reunions can sometimes feel more like an obligation than a connection. You show up, eat, smile, scroll, repeat.
U Mobile and Naga DDB Tribal are flipping that script with their latest Chinese New Year festive film, Eternal Hearts, a quietly powerful reminder that reconnection doesn’t just happen. It takes effort.
This marks the first festive film from the U Mobile × Naga partnership, setting the tone for a more human, insight-led approach to festive storytelling — one that feels real, not rehearsed.
“Connection has always been at the core of what we do at U Mobile. As families travel near and far to reunite during the festive season, we want to enable those unbeatable moments and help Malaysians stay close, wherever they are. Eternal Hearts is a reminder that staying connected starts with making the effort to reach out.”
At the heart of the film is an elderly Teochew couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Once close, now emotionally distant, a reality many long-term relationships quietly slip into. What unfolds isn’t dramatic shouting or grand gestures, but something far more intimate: a deliberate choice to try again.
Instead of leaning into overused festive clichés, Eternal Hearts taps into a universal truth: the people closest to us are often the easiest to take for granted — and the hardest to reconnect with unless we choose to make the effort.
And here’s what makes it even more special:
This is Malaysia’s first Chinese New Year festive film told entirely in Teochew, reinforcing U Mobile’s commitment to cultural authenticity, representation, and storytelling that actually reflects the diversity of Malaysian life.
The film was brought to life in collaboration with production house BikinCita, with director Barney Chua steering the emotional core of the story, reconciliation: “Relationships don’t fall apart because of one moment, they weaken when effort fades. What we often see as irreparable are simply bonds that have been left unattended.”
Chua also highlights that love isn’t just about romance or celebration, it’s about showing up, again and again: “Love isn’t only romantic or celebratory, it’s something that needs to be worked on. ‘Eternal Hearts’ reflects a kind of love that has endured decades, accumulated wounds, and moments of distance, yet still has the capacity to grow stronger with effort.”
The travel-driven narrative isn’t accidental either. Travel, after all, has a way of bringing out both the best and worst in relationships, making it the perfect backdrop to explore emotional highs and lows. It also subtly ties into U Mobile’s best-in-class roaming proposition, which offers 15GB of free monthly data via plans like U Postpaid 98 and U Family 128.
For Naga DDB Tribal, this film goes beyond festive sentimentality. Featuring an elderly couple allows the story to resonate across generations — challenging the idea that romance, effort, and emotional growth are reserved for the young.
“Reunions shouldn’t only happen once a year,” said Walter Teoh, Executive Creative Director of Naga DDB Tribal. “They take time, commitment and effort. This story reminds us that even the thinnest bonds can be strengthened if we choose to try.”
“With so many things competing for our attention today, it’s easy to overlook the people closest to us,” added Andrea Ma, General Manager of Naga DDB Tribal. “This film is a wake-up call to reconnect — and to make the effort to stay connected.”
Ultimately, Eternal Hearts leaves us with a simple but uncomfortable truth: connection doesn’t happen by chance. It happens when someone decides to take the first step — and keeps choosing effort, even when it’s easier not to.
🎥 Watch the film here:
https://youtu.be/osqL3piMQ1w
U Mobile and Naga DDB Tribal wish all Malaysians a Happy Chinese New Year 🧧
