KUCHING: Sarawak has made significant progress in its creative industry, evolving from a region with limited film infrastructure to one producing talented filmmakers, documentary creators and young creative professionals.
ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA) festival director Livan Tajang said there had previously been perceptions that Sarawak lacks a strong film industry.
“When we started AIFFA, the state didn’t have a TV station. Now, we have TVS. Because of that, we have more filmmakers and documentary producers,” she said.
She said this at a press conference after the ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards (AIFFA) 2025 Gala Night and Awards Ceremony at a hotel here last night (Nov 15).
Livan further said that the rise in local documentary creators inspired the introduction of the Borneo Documentary Awards, which debuted this year.
To cultivate creativity among younger talents, she said AIFFA also introduced ASEAN UniFest, bringing university students from across the region to Kuching to compete, collaborate and build long-term industry connections.
“This is another generation we are nurturing. Hopefully, when they become professional filmmakers, they will continue to support AIFFA.” she said.
On the seventh edition of AIFFA this year, Livan said the festival recorded 200 submissions this year, the highest to date, making the judging process especially challenging.
“Out of 200 films, yours were chosen to compete for the top awards. You should be proud, and you must continue. We believe in ASEAN cinema,” she said.
She also highlighted Kuching’s peaceful atmosphere and unique attractions, making it an ideal host city for the festival.
“Through AIFFA, we also want to promote our tourism here. Therefore, we hope for continuous support and we’ll see you at AIFFA 2027,” she said.
