Why can’t Malaysian films get to the Oscars?

Dain Said's 2011 film 'Bunohan' should have been publicised more when it was up for consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars.

In the 89-year history of the Oscars, only four Malaysian films have been submitted for consideration in the Best Foreign Language Film category – Puteri Gunung Ledang (2004), Bunohan (2011), Lelaki Harapan Dunia (2014) and Redha (2016). None of them made it to the final five nominees.

Despite the uptake in submissions of late, this year, the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) did not submit any entry. The deadline for submissions was Oct 2, and a record 92 countries have entered the race.