Festival highlights shared narratives and cinematic influences, places spotlight on visionaries and women filmmakers
INDIAN cinema was the highlight during the 8th Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) in Kuala Lumpur.
The Indian government, represented by its information and broadcasting ministry and High Commission of India, collaborated with MIFFest to organise India Night, featuring the richness of Indian cinema and its connection to Malaysia.
Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia BN Reddy said they were thrilled to be participating in MIFFest for the second consecutive year, to showcase the deep cultural and cinematic ties between the two countries.
“From early collaborations like Leila Majnun (1933) to modern-day films like Jagat, Adai Mazhai Kaalam and C4Cinta, India and Malaysia have a long history of mutual cinematic influences and shared narratives,” he said at the launch of India Night in Bangsar.
He said the special focus at MIFFest 2025 was on movies by women filmmakers such as Village Rockstar 2, Boong, Second Chance and Victoria.
Reddy also spoke about the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) held from May 1 to 4 in Mumbai, India.
He said WAVES was a major initiative that covered the entire media and entertainment industry, which would serve as a structured global marketplace for industry collaboration and deals.
“India and Malaysia are in the final stages of signing an audio-visual co-production agreement that will enable joint film productions and greater industry cooperation.
“We welcome Malaysian filmmakers to collaborate with the Indian film industry.
“There are available incentives like financial subsidies, tax benefits and the film facilitation office to streamline filmmaking process in India,” he said.
The MIFFest was held from July 19 to 27 at a shopping centre in the city, with the theme “Infinity”.
MIFFest president Joanne Goh said they were proud to present two specially curated programmes to honour India at the festival.
“Master at Work: Raj Kapoor, was a tribute to one of Indian cinema’s most iconic visionaries, while “Lenses of Indian Women Filmmakers” was a showcase of powerful voices shaping the future of Indian storytelling,” she said.
Goh said the selections reflected the depth, diversity and innovation that continued to define Indian cinema on the global stage.
“We hope to further strengthen the cultural bridge between Malaysia and India, and create new opportunities for dialogue, creativity and collaborations,” she added.
