Kuala lumpur: Film industry leaders from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia have called for a multilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU) among ASEAN countries to strengthen regional co-productions, enhance content distribution, and ease film crew mobility. Indonesian Film Board secretary-general Judith J. Dipodiputro emphasized the potential for collaboration due to the region’s youthful population, cultural proximity, and low trade barriers under the ASEAN Economic Community.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dipodiputro highlighted ASEAN’s 680 million population, including a significant number of young people, as a growing audience for culturally rooted regional storytelling. She cited the success of productions like “Upin and Ipin” and various ASEAN horror films as evidence of this opportunity. She urged the region to move beyond national markets to reach a broader audience.

National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib supported the call for a formal ASEAN-wide MoU or treaty. He suggested that such an agreement would encourage broadcasters to prioritize ASEAN-made content and proposed streamlined visa processes to facilitate cross-border film production and crew mobility.

Huoy Socheat, deputy director of the Cinema and Cultural Diffusion Department at Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, stated that the MoU would help overcome distribution barriers among ASEAN countries. He mentioned that Cambodia actively promotes cinema tourism by offering filming incentives, logistical support, and short-term visa facilities to attract international productions.

The summit, organized by FINAS in collaboration with MIFFest and the Asian Film Alliance Network (AFAN), brings together policymakers, creators, and investors to explore policy alignment and co-production opportunities. It runs until Friday and will conclude with the Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA) on Saturday, celebrating excellence in ASEAN and international filmmaking.