The 9th Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) opened on July 18 at My Town Shopping Center, kicking off an eight-day showcase of international films and marking the festival’s official recognition by ASEAN Records.
The opening ceremony brought together filmmakers, industry leaders and stars on the red carpet ahead of the evening’s program.
Joanne Goh, founder and president of MIFFest, gave a welcome address along with this year’s festival ambassadors Bronto Paralae, Dayan Trisha and Jack Tan. Mr Goh outlined the inspiration behind the festival’s 2026 theme.
“Our theme this year is resonance. Resonance is the lasting resonance of a story. It’s the emotions that linger long after the credits have finished, the conversations that continue beyond the film, and the connections that films create across cultures, generations, and borders,” said Goh.
Malaysia Tourism Board Chairman Datuk Manoharan Periasamy addressed the audience and reaffirmed his support for MIFFest’s role in strengthening the country’s creative industry and cultural diplomacy. Also in attendance were Communications Ministry’s Permanent Secretary (Strategic Communications and Creative Industries) Datuk Baria Mohd Tamir and Malaysian Film Development Corporation (FINAS) CEO Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib. Mr Goh presented certificates of appreciation to the festival ambassadors at the ceremony.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of ASEAN Record titles to MIFFest, recognizing the festival’s ASEAN On-Screen Platform and Malaysia Golden Global Awards (MGGA) program as a lasting home for Southeast Asian cinema. Mr Goh accepted the award on behalf of the festival.
“When we introduced ASEAN On Screen, our vision was to build an enduring platform where Southeast Asia’s stories can be celebrated, discovered and shared with the world. Through film, we want to connect our diverse voices with audiences around the world and continue to inspire the next generation of storytellers,” said Goh.
ASEAN On Screen was launched in 2025 during Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and has since become MIFFest’s permanent annual program. The festival’s preliminary selection committee and semi-final and final stage jury were also recognized at the ceremony.
After the ceremony, guests moved to GSC MyTown for the world premiere of the festival’s opening film, Baga: Tomorrow Belongs To No One, directed by Arif Zulkarnain. The film is set in a devout fishing community on Malaysia’s east coast, and follows two young lovers, Jani and Melur, whose future plans are derailed by an unexpected pregnancy, poverty, and addiction, driving Jani into the drug trade. Zulkarnain incorporated his own upbringing into the story.
Leading the delegation for this year’s opening film were executive producer Shafik Yusof, director Zulkarnain, Malaysian actor Shafik Khail, and Cambodian actress Sarita Leth. Guests from Malaysia and abroad were also in attendance, including Jojo Goh, actor and director Nam Rong, and actress June Rojong.
This year’s program also includes Russian Film Week, organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Roskino and Mosfilm, where four Russian films will be screened for free. Other programs include ASEAN on Screen, Hong Kong Cinema on Flux, New Rhythms of Indian Cinema, outdoor cinemas, masterclasses and industry forums.
The festival will run until July 25th.
