Limkokwing Launches Malaysia’s First International Youth Film Festival
18 March 2020
The online launch of the festival begins a search by the Limkokwing Film Academy to identify new talent among youths from around the world and provide them with a channel to polish their professional skills in the art of film making.
“At the same time we will support their entry into the larger global community of filmmakers. We want their ideas and talent to be exposed through their participation in film festivals such as Sundance, Cannes, Busan, Digicon + 6 of Japan, Brisbane Asia Pacific and Sheffield Documentary,” said Dato Kamil Othman, Film Festival Director.
He explained that film as a powerful medium for expression will take on greater prominence in the digital world today.
“Film is at the very heart of the fast-evolving global digital economy.” - Tan Sri Dato’Sri Paduka Limkokwing
Dato’ Kamil pointed out that most of us tend to see film as just entertainment. “But within a borderless world, and with the access to faster broadband technologies like 5G, film will become the preferred medium for the presentation of the world’s stories as well as the sharing of information. This is already evident today.”
The Limkokwing International Youth Film Festival is the first of its kind to be organized in Malaysia which recognises the importance of youths in the global digital creative environment.
Judging conducted by international panel of film industry players
“We are very proud to have the participation of international players sitting as judges to view and select the best entries. They come from USA, South Korea, France, Australia, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Macao and of course, Malaysia
It will complement the many other Film Festivals organised locally and internationally, all of which have brought great stories as well as story tellers. “We want to bring these stories and experiences, that were previously localized, into the global limelight,” said Dato Kamil.
The festival is open to youths aged between 15 to 29 years whom the Academy has targeted as the age group that will potentially “disrupt” the way films are made, films are viewed and the narrative for the stories they present.
Submissions, starting 30 March, 2020, will only be accepted online through https://www.filmacademy.com.my
The festival is slotted to be conducted from 09 till 11 December, 2020 with screening of all entries at the Limkokwing University campus in Cyberjaya.
The Academy is a vital component of the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology which has a long tradition of producing award-winning filmmakers.
The establishment of the Academy is to address the huge demand for talent and skills in the film industry. To further push the boundaries for innovation in film education the Academy has developed partnerships with the Malaysian film industry associations such as Film Directors Association of Malaysia (FDAM), Creative Writers Guild Malaysia (CGM), Malaysian Society of Cinematographers (MySC), Malaysian Association of Performing Artistes (Seniman), Post-Production Association of Malaysia (POSTAM), and Professional Film Workers of Malaysia (PROFIMA).