No preferential treatment given to film producers

The Information, Communications and Culture Ministry has denied that it gives preferential treatment in the matter of providing funding for film production.

Its deputy minister Datuk Maglin Dennis D'Cruz said film producers applying for funding must meet certain criterias among them a good story line, able to draw people and have an effective marketing strategy.

He said to date, the ministry had approved RM113.4 million for film funding involving 39 films and 15 animation works.

"Four types of funding are available namely the Nationbuilding and Heritage Fund, Animation Fund, Computer Graphics Imagery (CGI) Fund and Film and Multimedia Development Fund," he said when winding up debate on the Perbadanan Kemajuan Filem Nasional Malaysia (Amendment) Bill 2012) at the Dewan Negara Thursday.

The bill is to facilitate the merger of the National Film Development Corporation and National Film Department to become a single entity. The Bill was later passed.