Malaysia to cooperate with Vietnam in film-making
HANOI - Malaysia is looking at the possibility
of cooperation with Vietnam in film-making and television
documentaries, especially in the field of scriptwriting, Information
Minister Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob said Friday.
He said that despite the financial constraints of being fully
state-funded, Vietnam had a very experienced and vibrant film
industry producing between 10 and 12 films annually.
"I am attracted by their concept of scriptwriting and they have a
pool of talented writers. There are many things we can learn from
them," he told Bernama, here.
Khalil is leading an 11-member delegation to the Sixth Conference
of Asean Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) in the
Vietnamese capital.
He later called on President Tran Tuc Luong.
He said he would be instructing Finas, the National Film
Development Corporation, to hold discussions on the matter,
especially on the exchange of information in the production of
films and scriptwriting.
He said that besides romantic themes, the Vietnamese had
incorporated elements of patriotism, culture, heritage and the
concept of struggle in their films.
"These are also important elements. With a few exceptions, most
of the Malaysian themes are too monotonous focusing too much
on romance and the usual rich-people poor-people love story
lines," Khalil said.
Although their filmmaking industry grew out of the French colonial
experience and later in the socialist era, Malaysia's film industry
could learn by translating certain patriotic aspects into its
storyline and the Malaysian scenario, he added.
The industry in Vietnam had also been exposed to the traditional
classic French movie-making techniques, Khalil said.
Finas Director-General Mohamed Shariff Ahmad, who is part of the
delegation, said: "We will be sending some officials to discuss the
possibilities of cooperation with our counterparts soon."
He said the Asia-Pacific Film Festival was scheduled to be held in
Hanoi in early December where a 40-strong delegation would take
part and Malaysian officials would also use this opportunity to
cement closer ties in film-making.
General Director of the Vietnam Cinema Department Dr Luu Trong
Hong said some 300 people comprising those in the film-making
industry and government officials from the region were expected
to take part in the festival.
By Ghazemy Mahmud - Bernama (The Malaysian news agancy) - October 13, 2000.
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