CANNES: Malaysian production house FiTA Studios Sdn Bhd signed a partnership with Hub Media Group at the annual International Market Of Communications Programmes 2015 (MIPCOM) here at Palais des Festival recently.
Hub Media Group, a Singapore-based global production and content distribution company, will distribute FiTA Studios' film Chowrasta worldwide, and co-produce three documentary titles with the production house, also to be distributed internationally.
Operated by Universiti Teknologi MARA's (UiTM) Faculty of Film, Theatre and Animation, FiTA Studios is a subsidiary company of the university's investment arm UiTM Holdings Sdn Bhd.
The faculty's dean and chairman of FiTA Studios Datuk Prof. A. Razak Mohaideen said, "We would like to expose our students to the international market and how things work globally.
"Hub Media is a subsidiary of a listed company and it has a wide range of contacts with international distributors, so the engagement is very beneficial to us."
He added that there is no proper international film distributor in Malaysia, which is why most local films are not exposed to the international market.
"This leads to FiTA Studios appointing Hub Media as our partner. It is the faster route."
Chowrasta, set to premiere in Malaysia on Dec 3, is inspired by the life story of UiTM's vice chancellor Tan Sri Prof. Ir. Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar.
It centres on a boy whom as the breadwinner for his family has to combat difficulties in life.
"This film is very important to UiTM as it has produced more than 600,000 graduates since its inception in the late 1960s."
"Sometimes we tend to forget how much the government has contributed to the education sector in Malaysia.
"Every UiTM alumnus who watches the film will realise that without UiTM, they would not be who they are today.
"Chowrasta is about one of these 600,000 graduates who managed to become a somebody."
Chowrasta is Razak's 37th film, and is 100 per cent produced by UiTM's Faculty of Film, Theater and Animation, including lecturers and 45 students.
The faculty currently houses 75 staff, 54 lecturers as well as 1,500 students, which is the largest number of film, theatre and animation students in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, the three documentaries to be jointly produced by FiTA Studios and Hub Media are The Eco-Warriors, Batoor: A Refugee's Journey and Project Inspire.
UiTM Holdings group chief executive officer Azlizan Fadzil said that this partnership is a huge milestone for both the university and FiTA Studios.
"Our way forward is to penetrate the international market, and we have full confidence that Hub Media can lead the way in stamping our mark in the global scene."
Azlizan added that FiTA Studios will also engage with Hub Media for the distribution and co-production of its future projects.
Up next to be distributed by Hub Media Group is FiTA Studios' already-completed viral comedy film Muluk, directed by Razak and starring Azhari Zain, Saiful Apek and Yassin.
In an immediate response from Shah Alam, Sahol commended FiTA Studios and UiTM Holdings for these ventures.
"This is the first time ever where a higher learning institution in Malaysia has ever embarked in a commercially-oriented engagement for creative industry. This is in line with UiTM's objective to put us on the world map. I am very proud and delighted that we have achieved this far."
"Such ventures as these will create more opportunities for UiTM's Faculty of Film, Theatre & Animation, particularly for the students and the staff to be recognised globally."