KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — Awards are nice, but Datin Sofia Jane has her sights set on something she considers far more valuable: another 20 years of doing what she loves.

The veteran actress is nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 35th Malaysian Film Festival (FFM 35) for playing Sarimah, a woman whose unsettling presence and troubled past lie at the heart of horror film Malam Terlarang.

“I think being able to continue working is what defines me,” she told Malay Mail in a recent interview.

For Sofia, recognition is welcome, but the real reward is getting to take on characters that challenge her understanding of people and push her into unfamiliar territory.

“I think I'm defined by what I do, what I work on, who I work with, and whether I'll still be able to work for another 20 years, God willing, if I live that long,” she said.

That appetite for the unfamiliar drew her to Sarimah, the mother of Mawar (played by Shasha Abedul) in the film directed by the late Nurhanisham Muhammad, better known as Labu.

Sarimah is a woman who seems almost invisible in her own home, moving through a space that should offer comfort and familiarity while those around her barely acknowledge her existence.

For Sofia, that disconnect raised intriguing questions about a character who is physically present but appears emotionally and socially erased.

She was also drawn to Sarimah's history as a dancer, a part of her past that audiences never actually see on screen.

Sofia wanted to explore what it might mean for someone who once could walk, dance and jump to lose those abilities, and how that loss might reshape her sense of self.

The role offered a chance to delve into the character's inner life rather than simply play the horror film's supernatural elements.

For Sofia, that willingness to venture into the unknown is part of what keeps acting worthwhile, whether the end result brings an award or simply a new perspective.

“It's lovely to be recognised, but you still have to continue working and looking for something you've never done before, something you don't understand but want to understand,” she said.

Malam Terlarang, produced by Astro Shaw, received 12 nominations at FFM 35, tying with Shamyl Othman's Khadam as the ceremony's joint-leading nominee.

FFM 35 will take place at Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur, on November 21.