Malaysia strengthens position as regional filming hub
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia continues to cement its status as a leading regional hub for film production, successfully attracting foreign creative investments through the Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI), which is creating jobs and upskilling the local workforce.
National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib revealed that among the latest international productions to benefit from FIMI is the upcoming television series Lord of the Flies, produced by Sony Pictures and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
The series was filmed in Langkawi, Kedah, at the end of last year.
'The production brought in more than 30 child actors from overseas, accompanied by parents and tutors, and rented a major hotel in Langkawi for nearly five months.
'In accordance with FIMI's requirements, the production also employed a significant number of local crew members,' he told Bernama in a recent interview.
He said the initiative was made possible through a partnership between FINAS and the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), which provided basic film production courses to workers from the tourism sector.
To further enhance local participation, Azmir announced that, starting next year, the minimum quota for local crew involvement in foreign productions will increase from 30 to 40 per cent.
'This move will not only create more job opportunities for Malaysians, but also accelerate skills development by exposing local talent to international production standards,' he remarked.
Since the introduction of FIMI in 2013, a total of 128 productions have been approved, including 76 local and 52 international projects, with over RM419 million in rebates disbursed and direct investments totalling RM2.71 billion.
Despite regional competition from countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, Azmir remains confident in Malaysia's unique advantages.
'A skilled English-speaking workforce, economic stability, and an efficient permit approval process via the Central Agency for Application of Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes (PUSPAL) are among the valued-added factors for the country being the preferred filming destination.
'Malaysia offers attractive locations, cost-efficiency, and a production-friendly environment. More importantly, we are building a complete ecosystem - from talent training and modern tech usage to post-production,' he said.
To amplify FIMI's global visibility, Azmir said FINAS is also preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tourism Malaysia, which, among others, aims to position film not just as an entertainment product but also as a tourism promotion tool.
'This partnership will promote Malaysia as a filming destination while showcasing our tourism offerings to global audiences through movies shot here.
'Upcoming efforts include organising a Malaysia Film Week overseas, with one slated to be held in Beijing this August, led by FINAS chairman Datuk Hans Isaac,' he said.
Azmir said FINAS is also expanding international cooperation, including recent initiatives with China in conjunction with the Chinese President Xi Jinping's official visit to Malaysia last month. Similar talks are underway with India and Indonesia.
'Our vision is for Malaysia to evolve into a regional hub not only for filming locations but also for film education and technology in the next five years.
'We want Malaysian crew to go international, local post-production companies to create content for Southeast Asia markets, and more local universities to become professional training centres for the
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sinar Daily
2 days ago
- Sinar Daily
Seribu Tahun opens dialogue, not agendas, on LGBTQ+ themes in Malay-Muslim storytelling
For many Malaysians who tuned into Seribu Tahun, the show's exploration of LGBTQ+ themes might appear bold, even unexpected. But to those who have closely followed the trajectory of its creators, this narrative choice felt like an earnest effort to grapple with the realities on our social periphery. Through heightened emotion, layered storytelling and a cultural lens rooted in local sensibilities, it dares to engage with contemporary issues often whispered but rarely explored in mainstream media. A deliberate and responsible narrative approach Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Faculty of Film, Theatre and Animation lecturer, Ts Mastura Muhammad believes this approach is far from haphazard. It is, in fact, grounded in deep cultural reflection and narrative responsibility. 'I approach Seribu Tahun with a critical awareness of its narrative ambition and the socio-cultural realities it seeks to engage. Having followed the director and production team's earlier works, it is clear they consistently produce high-quality content grounded in Malay-Muslim sociocultural contexts. 'Within this framework, the inclusion of LGBT themes in Seribu Tahun does not come across as an imposed agenda, but rather as a deliberate, reflective engagement with pressing contemporary issues. 'This thematic direction suggests a responsible and courageous attempt to expose, educate and interrogate societal anxieties; often through narrative exaggeration or heightened emotion to ensure audience engagement,' she said in an interview with Sinar Daily. Mastura pointed out that the series is not merely provocative for provocation's sake, but instead strives to expose, educate and interrogate societal anxieties, often through narrative exaggeration or heightened emotion to ensure audience engagement. But how does this creative risk play out within Malaysia's complex cultural and religious tapestry? To understand that, Mastura suggests we shift our view of media from mirror to lens. 'In the Malaysian context, the common saying 'art imitates life' may oversimplify the role of media. A more fitting interpretation might be that art represents life; filtered through cultural, political and narrative conventions. 'Since genres like science fiction are still developing in our local television landscape, most Malaysian dramas remain rooted in social realism, thereby serving as platforms for social commentary. Within this genre, directors often use heightened storytelling elements to maintain emotional engagement. 'It is essential, however, to view a drama series in its entirety rather than focusing on isolated scenes. Often, controversial moments are juxtaposed with scenes that offer resolution or contextual balance. 'This dialectical structure - tension followed by resolution - is central to storytelling. Thus, even representations of LGBT identities that may provoke discomfort can spark necessary dialogue within Malaysia's multicultural and multi-religious society,' she added. Seribu Tahun's narrative sparks dialogue, not agendas, on LGBT themes in Malay-Muslim storytelling. Photo: Facebook The importance of media literacy and audience interpretation Of course, any depiction of marginalised communities - particularly in a conservative society - risks misinterpretation. But here, media literacy plays a crucial role. Mastura highlighted the shift away from outdated assumptions of how media influences audiences. 'From a media studies lens, it is important to recognise that audience reception is neither passive nor homogenous. Viewers interpret content through a range of filters -cultural background, religious belief, education and socio-political context. 'The once-dominant 'hypodermic needle' theory of media influence has long given way to more nuanced models like encoding or decoding, which recognise varied audience interpretations. 'The fear that media representation directly shapes youth behaviour is often exaggerated and not strongly supported by empirical evidence. On the contrary, when stories involving marginalised identities are told with cultural sensitivity and narrative depth, they can foster empathy, understanding and critical reflection,' she said. It is within this space - 'between provocation and pedagogy, representation and restraint,' as Mastura puts it - that Seribu Tahun finds its power and perhaps, its purpose.
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Animated films need more emphasis on story and character
REGARDED as Malaysia's Father of Animation, film historian and animation legend Hassan A Muthalib describes Malaysian films as "not cinematic in terms of narrative and stylistics". While he remains an optimist, he hopes that today's animation gurus focus more on training new animated filmmakers in order for the animation industry to rise. "The animation filmmaker has control over every single frame, unlike the live-action filmmaker. How the director plans everything he sees is dependent on the director's point of view about issues of the day," he said in a recent interview. DYNAMICS Asked where he sees the animation industry 10 years down the road, Hassan said that things would not change much, unless the right film dynamics and the language of cinema are better understood and applied. "Our animated films should be less video-game-like with more stress on story and characters. "The award-winning Latvian film 'Flow' is a good example of how it should be done without fast cuts and incredible camera moves," he said. Hassan admitted that there were always some areas in animation which Malaysians could hardly touch as a result of society's sensitivities. To get around this, he said: "Animation provides an element of fantasy, especially with the use of non-human characters. "Walt Disney has proven it with his animation features from the 1930s to the 1990s. "His philosophy was to create great characters with distinct personalities. "Give them great stories to be acted out." ORANG ASLI One suggestion Hassan has on interesting topics for animated movies is classical Malay literature and Orang Asli folktales. "It's great to explore these, and fantastic stories can be made with the cutting-edge technology we have today. "As far back as 1940 with Disney's 'Fantasia', the ground has already been prepared. "Malaysian-based Japanese filmmaker Yasu Tanaka was the first to do so with his feature film 'Magik'." While censorship is seen as a hindrance to the future development of animated films, Hassan believes that there is a need for it to minimise violence especially in cartoons. "The Censorship Board helps in showing how some things can be overcome. "For example, in 'Pulau' and 'Spilt Gravy On Rice', the films were passed because in the end, it all seemed to be a dream experienced by the protagonist. "However, I was surprised how 'Dongeng Sang Kancil' managed to get through with so much graphic violence, especially since it was aimed at children." Recalling his journey into the industry, Hassan said that he first came to work in Filem Negara Malaysia (FNM) in 1968, and was guided by Anandam Xavier who made Malaysia's first animated short, 'Hikayat Sang Kancil'. "I thought to myself I am never ever going to understand how to do this, but 10 years later, I was making even more complicated camera charts. "I was drawn to his background paintings and it was only when I started making my feature film, 'Silat Legenda' in 1995 that I realised background paintings gave the look of a film." SANG KANCIL Unconsciously, Hassan understood the importance of production design and it played an important role in his next short film, 'Sang Kancil Dan Monyet', in the mid-1980s. "In November 1972, I was assigned to do a Happy Christmas trailer. I discovered that it was not about requiring 24 frames for a second of animation, it was about how fast the animation was and about creating the correct space between drawings." Hassan said that two years later, he came up with his first public service announcement (PSA) about Anti-Hoarding, and in 1979, his controversial 'Nyamuk Aedes PSA' ruffled politicians' feathers. "The talking mosquitoes were very popular with their catchy dialogue, but it was promptly taken off the air because a member of parliament felt that the mosquitoes' leader seemed to parody him." Hassan is the man behind the first anti-dadah trailer in 1979. "Many people were scared stiff by the story of a drug addict who climbs a flight of stairs right into a huge skull's mouth, and turns into a skeleton," he said. JAMALI SHADAT Hassan also collaborated with veteran comedian Datuk Jamali Shadat in a PSA about gas cylinders in 1981. "Esso asked us to make an animated trailer on the do's and don't's of using a gas cylinder. Here's where I roped in Jamali, and he did a fantastic job educating the public with his spontaneous, humorous lecture," he said. Hassan made his first live action PSA in 1983 with 'Keluarga' (Family), and it was shot at University Malaya Medical Centre. "It was the story of a drug addict's parents who awaited the doctor's annoucement following their son's admission to hospital," he said, adding that the PSA won Best Idea at Anugerah Seri Angkasa. IMUDA Hassan's first win for an animated feature film was 'Mat Gelap' in 1990. It was about the adventures of a zany detective played by Datuk Imuda. When asked about his favourite animated shorts by Malaysian filmmakers, Hassan listed Liew Seng Tatt's 'Don't Play Play', Eugene Foo's 'Grey Avenue', Hajar Aznam's 'Ulek Mayang: Spirits Of The Sea' and Ah Loong's 'The 7th Night: Maomao Revisits'. "All four have simple but well-developed stories and are well put across through animation," he said.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Alleycats' David Arumugam seen at local eatery, M'sians starstruck
MALAYSIANs were recently starstruck after a TikTok video of Alleycats frontman, Datuk David Arumugam, casually waiting his turn at a local eatery went viral. The 17-second clip, posted by TikTok user @falyqhikyleyangsebenar, captured the iconic singer standing in line, dressed in black jeans, a simple t-shirt, and his signature afro hairstyle — instantly recognisable to fans of the legendary Malaysian band. The post was captioned, 'Thank you for entertaining us all this time. Wishing you good health always, legend.' The video quickly gained traction, drawing hundreds of comments from netizens who were both delighted and surprised to see the music icon in such an everyday setting. ALSO READ: (Video) Alleycats were big in HK in 70s before finding stardom at home 'Sad... 2000s kids these days don't know who he is. If a bunch of 80s kids were there, they'd definitely swarm him for selfies,' wrote user Vijay D'Cruz. 'A one-of-a-kind legend — a golden voice loved by all Malaysians. Most Indian singers who perform Malay songs end up becoming stars. Wishing you good health always, Dato' David Arumugam,' another user commented. 'I once bumped into him in PJ. Someone called him and his ringtone was 'Hadiran Ombak Membelai Pantai', a song from Suara Kekasih. That's when I knew — it had to be David Arumugam. Go ahead, try calling him, bro,' shared Keris Pujangga.
