KUALA LUMPUR – While Korean films continue to dazzle the big screen with Parasite winning Best Picture award at last year’s Oscars, Datuk Afdlin Shauki Aksan could not help but feel dismayed over what could have been for the Malaysian film industry.
“We were really good once, but why aren’t our films becoming global?
“We are still stuck in the past and not living in the now, and yet we can still afford to smile,” he said in sharing his disappointment with the industry’s lack of progress.
“The core of the problem? Money and political interference.”
Speaking at the Leaders Speakeasy webinar hosted by Astro Awani-LINC, the actor-director bemoaned how the voices of many industry players are being clipped and ideas for films suppressed to protect the interests of certain quarters.
“Why can’t we make movies about Malaysia being in trouble, for instance.
“Our request for funds will then be rejected.
“And because our past and present governments believe cash is always king, money and politics now appear to be more important than anything else.
“Everything has to be about money and politics, with little regard to us in the industry,” he said.
Afdlin himself faced the problem of funding for a film he tipped to be nominated for the Oscars – Angel of Sandakan.
The National Film Development Corporation (Finas) rejected a grant application to finance this project.
The rejection came weeks after Afdlin announced his decision to join PKR and despite Finas’ initial funding of the script development for the film.
“This issue with Finas is quite big. To me, our entertainment industry is already very ill.
“The pandemic has brought many players to their knees, and many aspects of our career are still not protected by the government.
“We are being treated like manual labourers. The only difference is we come out in magazines,” he said.
Afdlin, whose daughter Mia Sara Shauki has also ventured into the creative industry, said his biggest concern is what would become of future generations if current issues are not immediately addressed.
He said this was also the reason he decided to join politics – to provide him with the platform to make the necessary changes to ensure sustainability of local entertainment.
“Frankly, it never crossed my mind to join politics.
“I joined because of my children, after seeing that their future will not be secure if they enter this art field, so I want to correct some things before I leave.
“I don’t want my children inheriting an industry that can’t provide them with a source of income,” he said.
Afdlin said the current situation calls for structural reforms, particularly legislature amendments in Parliament, which require leaders who truly understand the industry to push for changes.
This is why, Afdlin said, he supports PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who understands the value of the arts.
“Only by appreciating the arts will a person be able to help those in the industry,” he said, adding that he is also an admirer of Anwar for his struggles and what he went through in the past.
“I hope he is given the mandate to be our next prime minister,” he added. – The Vibes, May 6, 2021
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