MIFFest founder Joanne Goh wants the Malaysia International Film Festival to help establish Kuala Lumpur as a leading Southeast Asian film hub, particularly through regional collaboration rather than competing primarily for global premieres. The ambition matters because she sees stronger ASEAN partnerships as a way to address persistent financing and distribution barriers for the region’s filmmakers.

Approaching its tenth anniversary in 2027, MIFFest’s ASEAN On Screen programme has received recognition from ASEAN Records, which Goh regards as an early milestone. The festival received about 700 submissions for its ninth edition, compared with roughly 100 at its 2017 launch; Goh also produced this year’s premiere of “BlueFish” and says festivals should support sales, marketing and future co-productions as well as screenings.