Finas: Cinemas play big part in promoting local films

Onn Norshal (sixth left) poses for a group photo with other Mandatory Screening Scheme committee members and management team of Ashtar Galactic Cinema Bintulu.

BINTULU: Cinemas in the country are the main players who can promote and uplift the standard of the local film industry.

National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) board member Onn Norshal Hamzah said there is also a need for Finas in particular to have good partnership with these exhibitors in screening local films in their cinemas under the Mandatory Screening Scheme.

He said the Mandatory Screening Scheme committee is conducting a series of working visits from July 1, starting with TGV Imperial City Mall Miri, Time Cineplex (Time Square Shopping Centre) Brunei Darussalam, The Mall Cineplex (Gadong) Brunei, King’s Trioplex Sibu, MMC Summer Mall and GSC CityONE in Kuching, MMC Riverside Kuching, MBO tHe Spring Kuching and TVG Vivacity Kuching.

“The main objective of our visit is to further strengthen our communications and to identify the cinemas that are registered under Finas.

“Relevant information would be collected so that in the future when it comes to making decisions regarding the mandatory screening scheme, we will have accurate information on the assessment of a particular cinema to ensure the approved films would meet the taste and standard of the local market,” he told reporters when met during their visit to Ashtar Galactic Cinema Bintulu on Wednesday.

He said the mandatory screening scheme was formed as part of Finas’ initiative to ensure local films would be protected in the aspect of qualification for compulsory screening at cinemas throughout the country.

“This is also Finas’ effort to bring the image of our films to all states in the country so that it can be more competitive because in an open market, our films are competing with films from other countries,” said Onn Norshal.

He added it was part of the government’s initiative to ensure local films can compete openly while cinemas and producers would get the same opportunity.

Onn Norshal, when asked on the compulsory screening scheme, said cinemas must screen an approved film for 14 consecutive days in the biggest hall.

However, he said the screening of the approved film can be moved to a smaller hall if the number of viewers in the bigger hall is less than 30 per cent of its total occupancy during the first four consecutive days of its screening, or the number of viewers is less than 15 per cent of the number of seats in the cinema hall after the first three days of screening.

In the above situation, he said the cinemas, at their discretion, can withdraw the approved film from further screening.

>Source: Borneo Post Online