THE 6th Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) will be held at Lalaport BBCC from July 23 to 29 this year, and the awards ceremony, the Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA), will take place at Zepp Kuala Lumpur on July 29.
Founder and festival director Joanne Goh revealed the announced partnerships and the festival’s theme which is [New Take].
This year, the festival will be collaborating with BMW Shorties, TikTok Malaysia as the official partner of MIFFest and a renewed collaboration with the Far East Film Festival (FEFF) in Udine, Italy.
She also announced that Malaysian actor and director Bront Palarae will be returning as the festival’s ambassador for the fourth time.
During a press conference, Goh says the partnerships will allow filmmakers to get their work seen by a wider audience, gain recognition and connect with the international space.
BMS Shorties is the most prominent local short film competition in Malaysia and has played a pivotal role in creating a new generation of filmmakers.
“This partnership is great news for the whole industry, as MIFFest’s international platform will allow the next generation of Malaysian filmmakers to take full advantage of this opportunity to showcase their talent and tell their stories with a tenacious and indomitable spirit.
"It also serves as a stepping stone for their professional and creative careers,” she said.
Bront Palarae, MIFFest ambassador, added, “Now that we are well into the post-epidemic era, there is nothing more needed in the industry than passionate and creative filmmakers and storytellers.
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"I sincerely hope that the first three years of the epidemic have not caused creators to lose faith in cinema, but to look forward to this moment, ready to start their [New Take].”
The Grand Prize Winner of the short film and digital content competition will receive RM80,000 in production grant, and filmmaking talents will also be recognized across a range of supporting awards.
The BMW Shorties will officially open for entries from April 1, 2023. The selection committee for this year’s festival are director Khairi Anwar (Mentega Terbang), producer Tay Sheik Er, film lecturer and programmer Eddy Tan and Wayne Ooi Swee Yaw.
Hans de Visser, managing director of BMW Group Malaysia said, “We drew inspiration from our 2022 theme, Re: Imagine, where a new generation of creative talents incorporated unique experiences from the pandemic into their storytelling.
"Their creativity and adaptability showed us that innovation can emerge from any circumstance, with tremendous potential waiting to be unearthed in this ever-evolving creative industry.
"Much like the lens of Forwardism embraced by the BMW Group, the BMW Shorties thrives on challenging today’s common conventions, with creative thinkers who dare to bring forward to the present the breakthroughs of tomorrow. That is why our theme for this year is Evolve.”
MIFFest and the festival's partner Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy, have continued to deliver good news this year, with special screenings of Malaysian films and exchanges between filmmakers of both regions.
Both festivals hope to continue to bring new sparks through the concept of “From East to West”.
In addition, MIFFest will continue to support local films, so that more people from all over the world can see the discover Malaysian cinema. – The Vibes, March 4, 2023
For more information about the 6th MIFFest 2023, visit miffest.com.my.
