Entertainment
Malaysia used the opening day of Hong Kong’s Filmart to make a pitch to international producers: the money for its screen-production incentive isn’t going away.
Malaysia’s National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) told industry attendees that its flagship Film in Malaysia Incentive (FIMI) cash rebate has been extended for another five years, backed by a renewed RM300 million (about $76 million) that has been allocated to the program. The rebate offers local and international productions a 30 percent return on qualifying Malaysian production spend, with an additional 5 percent available subject to a cultural test. The program was first introduced in 2013.
FINAS also said it has set an additional RM300 million ($76 million) budget for investments in audiovisual infrastructure to be deployed over the same five-year period.
At a Filmart session outlining the agency’s pitch, FINAS CEO Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib pointed to the incentive’s track record over the past 13 years, saying the country has paid out RM580 million (about $147 million) in rebates across 243 projects. The agency positioned the extension as a step toward solidifying Malaysia’s role as a regional destination for both production and post work.
FINAS highlighted a slate of international titles that have benefited from the Malaysian rebate in recent years, including Crazy Rich Asians, The Mandalorian, 6 Underground and Blackhat, as well as the BBC’s recent Lord of the Flies series adaptation.
The agency also used its Filmart presentation to spotlight domestic momentum, noting that Malaysia’s local box office reached a record RM244 million (about $62 million) in 2025, up sharply from the preceding year and more than double the ticket sales total in 2023.
In addition to the incentive and market metrics, FINAS said it recently passed an amendment to the FINAS Act that broadens the legal definition of “film” to include TV content, documentaries, animation and AI-generated content. The amendment also introduces worker protections for cast and crew, including standardized working contracts, mandatory insurance coverage and permits governing the employment of child performers.
The Filmart showcase culminated with a signing ceremony for the Malaysian action film Konspirasi, with Elepfilm Entertainment inking an international distribution deal with Hong Kong-based Reliance Media Entertainment.
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Patrick Brzeski