Why don't local movies do well at the box-office?

Action drama KL Gangster cracked the top 10 of Malaysia's overall box office collection in 2011. Photo: Filepic

The mood is usually celebratory at local movie premieres. For the producer and director of the movie, months of hard work have paid off to see the film on big screens across the country. Then a dose of reality sinks in.

At the press conference, one of the most frequently asked questions would be: “Do you think your movie will do well at a time when the local box office is currently in a slump?”