KUCHING: Sarawak will be hosting the Asia-Pacific Film Festival (APFF) next year, according to the state's Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.
He said the Asia-Pacific Film Festival is planned to be held in Miri and that the matter was confirmed by the Secretary-General of the Federation of Motion Picture Producers in Asia Pacific (FPA), Suhan Pansha, and the President of Malaysian Film Producers Association, Livan Tajang.
"On behalf of the ministry, we are happy to support this initiative for three reasons, firstly we will get more tourists into Sarawak and secondly, the Asia-Pacific Film Festival covers 22 countries in the Asia-Pacific from South Korea and Japan to New Zealand and Australia.
"Thirdly, it is organised by the same professionals who organise AIFFA (ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards), and Mr Pansha had mentioned that he has been to many festivals and the best managed in this region is AIFFA in Kuching," he said.
He said this in his speech, which was read out by Sarawak his deputy, Datuk Snowdan Lawan during the AIFFA 2023 Filmbiz World ceremony here, today.
Earlier Abdul Karim said the AIFFA Filmbiz World is a platform for film industry experts to share their knowledge and experience in the world of film.
"As part of this year's AIFFA growth for Sarawak, I am also pleased to be informed that a new association was registered earlier this year, called Persatuan Kolektif Filem Sarawak or Sarawak Film Collective Association.
"A few of its objectives include the development of talent in Sarawak and to safeguard Sarawak's film & TV industry standards via government policies," he said.
At today's ceremony, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Sarawak Film Collective and the Malindo Film Fund (MFF), an investment arm that is looking to invest via a film fund that will be opened for filmmakers in both Malaysia and Indonesia.
As part of this MoU, the Sarawak film collective will work together with Malindo Film Fund to identify who will be eligible to access this fund in Sarawak and of course, Borneo as well. --BERNAMA