Mini Film Festival x Mini Arts Festival to feature Borneo category

KOTA SAMARAHAN: For the first time ever, the 20th edition of the Mini Film Festival x Mini Arts Festival (MFF x MAF) will feature its very own Borneo category.

Festival director Yow Chong Lee said the category will connect some of the filmmakers with creative people in Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei Darrusalam and Kalimantan.

“Visitors who will be coming to the festival will be seeing films not only from Sarawak, but also films from Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan.

“Aside from that, there will a number of Bruneian and Kalimantan filmmakers who will be coming over to the festival to meet local filmmakers here.

“The meeting is also crucial because we want all these filmmakers to connect with each other and form some sort of collaboration, whether in film or arts,” he told a press conference for the upcoming festival at Hock Seng Lee Tower here today.

On another note, he also added that apart from its usual film screenings featuring films from Southeast Asia, Japan and nominated films (student, open and the inaugural Borneo categories), a total of six workshops will be conducted, covering a wide range of topics such as utilising artificial intelligence (AI) in creative domains and monetising non-fungible token (NFT), to directing actors, storytelling, lighting and setting up video companies.

“Together with the renowned actor and director Datuk Afdlin Shauki, actor Rashid Salleh, director Nik Amir Mustapha and others, they will serve not only as workshop facilitators, but also to judge the competition films, or have their films being screened during the festival.

“Other than that, we will also have a series of music performances by up-and coming local musicians, including Elizabeth Bunga and her special needs students performing sape, band TaDan from Miri performing modern jazz fusion ethnic music as well as rising star Sarawakian singer Roxy Ixzy.

“We are certainly happy to be able to spotlight these local artists to all our guests and festival participants, whether they are from Sarawak or outside Malaysia,” he added.

Organised by the Cinematography Programme from the Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts UNIMAS, the festival will take place at la Promenade Mall from July 18 to 21 and is open to all.

For more information on the complete festival schedule and to register for workshops, visit the festival’s website at https://bit.ly/MFFxMAF .