The Malaysian National Film Development Corporation (FINAS), the government-backed agency that oversees the country’s film industry, has dismissed its CEO Nasir Ibrahim after less than two years in the job. It follows the return of Kamil Othman who was appointed chairman in February.
FINAS notification
The latest move was announced on the organization’s Facebook page, along with the appointment of Rozita Waty Ridzuan as FINAS interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found.
The notice was vague on the reasons for Ibrahim’s early termination, explaining that it was part of a wider recalibration of creative industry policies. “This initiative will hopefully further help Malaysian filmmakers and industry players to produce quality films that have high value in both local and international markets,” the statement said.
SWIMMING FURTHER
ZDF Studios has sold “The Swarm” (8 x 45 mins), by multiple Primetime Emmy award-winner Frank Doelger (“Game of Thrones”), to the Foxtel Group which will launch the series in Australia in June on Foxtel and its streaming service Binge. Foxtel is the country’s biggest pay-TV broadcaster with over 4.6 million subscribers across Foxtel and its streaming services.
The psychological thriller, one of the most ambitious European productions to date, has previously been picked up in the U.S., U.K., Japan, Italy, France, Spain, Scandinavia and Central Europe. ZDF Studios and Beta Film are handling world sales.
EUROPEAN SALES
U.K.-based TV distributor Abacus Media Rights, an Amcomri Entertainment Company, has sold 740 hours of content across multiple genres to leading broadcasters and platforms throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Companies including HBO Europe, Viasat World, Pickbox, Dox TV, AMC Networks, HRT and Kino Polska have acquired a varied line-up of non-fiction titles such as “Bankrupt Billionaire,” “The Frontier,” “Hitler’s Secret Sex Life,” “Vikings: The Rise and Fall,” “The Queens That Changed The World,” “Life in Colour with David Attenborough,” “Bloodline Detectives S3” and multiple seasons of “Outback Truckers,” as well as scripted series such as “The Syndicate,” “Maxine,” “Deadline” and “Trickster.”