The National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) will expand the organisation of the wayang pacak (open-air cinema) programme nationwide to promote local works to rural communities, in line with the aspirations of the Program Hasrat Madani.
Finas Chief Executive Officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib said this approach not only aims to promote local productions but also provide an opportunity for rural residents to interact directly with actors and creative industry players.
"Tonight, we are screening the film Gemencheh Boys, which is highly relevant to Negeri Sembilan as it tells the true story of students from Bukit Rokan and their teacher in the sport of cricket.
"We have also brought along actor Pekin Ibrahim and one of the film's directors, Eric Ong, to bring them closer to the audience," he said when met at the Program Hasrat Madani organised by the Ministry of Communications at Kuala Pilah on June 13.
Azmir said that the reception towards local films is becoming increasingly encouraging, with the country's film industry recording significant growth last year as several movies achieved box office success.
He said that so far this year, five to six local films have successfully recorded collections exceeding RM10mil, thereby demonstrating a growing public interest in local productions compared to international films.
"A new trend we are seeing is that more and more Malaysians are choosing to watch local films. That is why we are bringing these popular movies to rural areas along with the artistes, so they can connect better with the audience," he said, adding that public response to the wayang pacak programme remains enthusiastic.
In the meantime, Azmir informed that efforts to promote local films will be further intensified ahead of National Month with the screening of several independence-themed productions.
He added that Finas will also participate in this year's National Day parade, featuring a contingent of artistes and local animated characters, which is expected to be among the main attractions for visitors.
Regarding the Malaysia Film Festival (FFM) scheduled to take place this coming November, Azmir said Finas is actively making preparations, which include holding promotional tours to schools, universities and villages starting four months before the main event to bring films and artistes closer to the community. – Bernama
