KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 ― The local film industry must accept the "new world” of filmmaking in which audiences are venturing online rather than to cinemas, National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) director-general Datuk Kamil Othman has said.

Kamil said Finas, as a development body that wants to "nurture filmmakers”, would need to look into providing support for filmmakers that opt for non-mainstream choices, such as only making their movies available for streaming online.

"I'm telling the industry, OK it's (a) new world, I'm from the old world, but I embrace the new world. Why do I embrace the new world? Because the new generation of audience is different from my generation,” he told reporters here yesterday.

"I also watched films in the theatre, [but] where do the new generation watch films? iPad,” he said, referring to the Apple mobile tablet.

With this in mind, Kamil said Finas will discuss and explore together with the local film industry on the prospects of including Malaysian films that are only screened outdoors or streamed online as contenders in the Malaysia Film Festival (FFM).

Kamil said the FFM currently only accepts entries from films shown in cinemas.

"Because at the end of the day, if you go to the common denominator, these are all films from Malaysia made by Malaysians… so are such films not allowed to enter the FFM? We have to ask the question,” he said.

Kamil also said the government could even save on funding support for filmmakers as movies made for online screening were cheaper to produce.

However, there is a need for Finas to consult the local film industry due to factors such as disparity in budget sizes between a made-for-theatre film and an online-only film, he said.

"But I do not discount future filmmakers could come from those who make online films and then move to mainstream films. Because remember, the advertising industry has produced some of the best directors in Hollywood,” he said.

He clarified, however, that the proposal to allow non-cinema films in the FFM was not discussed in a meeting this morning between Finas, the Communications and Multimedia Minister as well as major film industry associations.

He also said that Finas's venture in storytelling through films is actually an investment in a broader spectrum of work such, noting that films could even be turned into books and that games have even been turned into films.

"Because we have to look at it that way otherwise Finas will be left behind and I cannot allow Finas to be left behind,” he said, noting that it was already the 21st century.

Last week, independent filmmaker Anwardi Jamil told Malay Mail Online that his movie Kerja Kahwin was not allowed to enter the FFM as it had not been screened in cinemas.

The rejection to compete in Malaysia's national film festival was despite the film being allowed to be a contender in the Apchat International Film Festival in the France last month, he said.

Instead of paying cinemas to screen his movie and viewers having to pay for cinema tickets, Anwardi said he had obtained sponsorship instead for free screenings in 65 villages from the beginning of this year to year-end.

"I want my movie to be seen by a lot of people, so I don't want people to pay so I got sponsor to sponsor my film and seen in all villages and it's supported by Finas,” he said.

"Now I'm letting people watch it free and it's a Malay movie, it's very cultural, it uses pantun (poetry), it's all about the disappearing Malay culture,” he added.