As the Malaysian International Film Festival (MIFFest) celebrates its 10th anniversary next year, founder Joanne Goh is looking ahead to expansion.
“We hope this festival will become a hub for Southeast Asia,” Goh told Variety, outlining his vision for MIFFest as a gathering place for filmmakers, producers and industry leaders from across the region.
This year, that vision gained momentum when MIFFest’s ASEAN On Screen program was officially recognized by ASEAN Records, but Goh believes this is just the beginning.
Unlike many Asian festivals that compete for world premieres and international attention, Goh believes MIFFest can differentiate itself by strengthening regional collaborations. She cites Malaysia’s multicultural identity and growing role in the film business as key advantages.
“Malaysia has already become one of our most important partners in the industry,” she says.
Goh believes that the next breakthrough for Southeast Asian cinema will depend not only on increased global interest, but also on resolving long-standing financing and distribution challenges. While she sees ASEAN co-productions as a promising path forward, she emphasized that industry discussions on funding models and emerging technologies are becoming an important part of the festival.
This year also gave Gou the opportunity to experience MIFFest from a different perspective. Alongside running the festival, she is also the producer of “BlueFish,” which premiered during the event.
“While being a producer is certainly a completely different role, these two roles help broaden my horizons in the film industry,” says Goh.
Making this film reinforced her belief that festivals should be more than just exhibition platforms. “Festivals are like a wonderland for me, everything I enjoy about movies comes to life here,” says Goh. “It’s also a place where friends in the industry gather for sales, marketing and future collaborations.”
The festival’s growth reflects its expanding profile. Mr Goh said the ninth edition received around 700 applications, up from around 100 when MIFFest was launched in 2017. Despite MIFFest’s rapid growth, Goh says the festival’s next chapter will be defined by its local impact, not its size.
“Rather, it is about cross-border collaboration and strengthening Kuala Lumpur as a regional film hub,” Gou said.
