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Malaysia’s National Film Development Corporation (Finas) has appointed Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri as its new CEO. The move was announced by Zakaria Abdul Hamid who was last month announced as chairman

Ahmad Nadzri was previously appointed CEO in March 2019. But he asked to leave the organization in March, 2020, after little more than one year of his two year term.

At the same time as the change of personnel, the national government allocated $53 million (RM225 million) as an economic stimulus incentive for the creative industry, as part of the wider National Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana). The funds are to be administered by the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia.

The re-hiring of actor-director-screenwriter Ahmad Nadzri (“Pencuri Hati Mr. Cinderella”) appears to mark the end of an uncomfortable personnel merry-go-round at the film administration and funding organization. But it is not clear that all controversies will cease.

From March 2019 to May 2020, actor...

Singapore’s 108 Media has secured the support of the Malaysian authorities to develop horror-action film “Best Served Cold,” based on the short story “Don’t Eat The Rice” by Sabah-based author Jill Girardi and characters in her novel “Hantu Macabre.” The adaptation is by writer-director Aaron Cowan.

The film could be one of the first to make use of the new bilateral co-production treaty between Singapore and Malaysia. “We would like to congratulate Malaysia’s Siung Films and Singapore’s 108 Media. Both Malaysia and Singapore are excited about this effort as we are planning for Malaysia-Singapore Treaty discussion starting in January 2020,” said Hans Isaac, chairman of the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas). “Finas Malaysia encourages and welcomes co-production treaties with not just Singapore but other countries to establish closer relationship that eases buying, distribution, content creating and collaboration.”

The film is a mix of supernatural action-noir, revolving around Suzanna Sim,...

It’s been four years since Malaysia’s multi-billion-dollar 1Mdb corruption scandal first broke, but its shadow still looms large over the domestic film industry — and indeed the country as a whole — no matter how hard those in power might pray that it goes away.

“If we’re going to continue looking back, we’re not going to move forward,” says Hans Isaac, who was appointed as the new chairman of the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas) in April.

But there’s no escaping the scandal's imprint in Malaysia's capital, Kuala ...

It’s been four years since Malaysia’s multi-billion-dollar 1Mdb corruption scandal first broke, but its shadow still looms large over the domestic film industry — and indeed the country as a whole — no matter how hard those in power might pray that it goes away.

“If we’re going to continue looking back, we’re not going to move forward,” says Hans Isaac, who was appointed as the new chairman of the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (Finas) in April.

But there’s no escaping the scandal's imprint in Malaysia's capital, Kuala ...

Actor, film producer and director Hans Isaac has been appointed as chairman of the National Film Development Corp Malaysia (Finas). He replaces Samsuni Mohd Nor who served as Finas’s acting chairman for the past four months.

Isaac’s appointment was announced on Wednesday by Gobind Singh Deo. the Communications and Multimedia Minister. Isaac will enjoy a two-year term of office.

The appointment of a new chairman follows a month after the government also gave Finas a new chief executive. It appointed another multihyphenate, actor-director-screenwriter Ahmad Idham Nazri (“Pencuri Hati Mr. Cinderella”) in March.

The pair are seen as a pair of safe hands who will steady the organization which was last year rocked by allegations of embezzlement. Deo said that he hoped “Finas members will give their full cooperation in implementing reforms based on the government’s direction.”

Despite multiple support measures, and an ongoing cinema building boom, Malaysia...

Mostly shot in the exquisite Bako National Park in Sarawak, “Nota” is a rather unusual film that begins as a social drama about a failing couple and ends as a surrealistic thriller. Let us take things from the beginning, though.

Kamal and Erin face a marital crisis, particularly due to their failure to have a child, something that has driven them quite apart, particularly from Kamal’s side. While the happy memories of the past do exist, the melancholy and the sadness of the present have taken over. Eventually, Erin discovers a note written by her spouse that states his intentions of ending their marriage. Seemingly to reinvigorate their relationship, she asks him to travel again to the Bako National Park, where they have spent some of their happiest moments. Their trip however, proves rather eventful, as their path to the park is interrupted when their taxi...