Finas to study all production aspects for films funded by digital content fund

KAMPAR - Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil has asked the board of directors of National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) to study all aspects of production for films funded by the Digital Content Fund initiative, including their performance.

Responding to questions about Finas’ selection of criteria regarding the fund, Fahmi said he would have a discussion with the board next week about the matter.

"I will ask the board to study the aspects, including the Digital Content Fund and the quality of performance, for films produced under the fund,” he told reporters after presenting Tabung Kasih@Hawana aid to a freelance journalist, Ng Kan Seng at his home here.

Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) chief executive officer Roslan Ariffin; Bernama News Service deputy editor-in-chief Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and Bernama Economic News deputy editor-in-chief D. Arul Rajoo, who is also National Journalists’ Day (Hawana) 2023 project director were also present during the visit.

He said that previous discussions with Finas had touched on certain weaknesses in marketing efforts for some films that were funded.

"There are some productions, I don’t mean Vik2Ria, but there are some who depend too much on compulsory broadcasts, but without promotion people won’t know (about the film).

"So, many of the successful films are heavily promoted. There are funds for marketing, but maybe just the way it has to be used,” Fahmi said, commenting on criticism directed at Finas relating to the production of the film Vik2Ria Secret that allegedly received RM550,000 in funding but only raked in around RM5,000 from an audience of 346 people. - BERNAMA