#SHOWBIZ: Asean countries form joint film production network
Deputy Communications Minister, Teo Nie Ching, said that the summit's primary objective is to build collaborative productions among filmmakers from Asean countries.
"This three-day summit aims for the establishment of co-productions amongst filmmakers from Asean, a region with a large market and an estimated population of 600 million," she said.
"We will discuss filmmaking ideas, innovations, and infrastructure to boost the film industries of Asean countries."
Teo was speaking at the summit's opening ceremony, held at GSC MyTown Mall in Cheras.
The event is being held in conjunction with the 8th Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) and is supported by the National Film Development Corporation (Finas), the Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN), and the Malaysian Youth Council (MBM).
Teo expressed confidence that the summit would lead to the creation of an action plan to strengthen film collaborations between Asean countries.
"Although Malaysia has signed co-production agreements with several countries, we do not yet have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Asean level," she said.
The launch was also attended by MIFFest founder Joanne Goh, Finas Chief Executive Officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib, AFAN Secretary-General Lorna Tee, and MBM Vice President Dhanesh Basil.
Azmir stated that the event aims to create various new projects through training and collaboration, providing an opportunity for local stories to penetrate the international market.
"I hope we all take the opportunity to explore new ideas, get to know new collaborators, and engage in discussions. This event is an opportunity for us to collectively shape the future of ASEAN cinema," he said.
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