Malaysia

Continent: Asia

ABOUT THE COUNTRY Malaysia has a small but growing film industry. The country produces about 60 feature films and between 300 and 400 television seasons annually. There are many languages used in the country, including Malay, Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, and other indigenous languages, this means crew will likely be multilingual. Nationwide there are around 150 cinemas for distribution of film, and the country also has access to streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and Max. Censorship laws in the country can restrict what is allowed to be shown or made in the country, and is important to consider. However, these guidelines currently don’t affect streaming services. Malaysia’s climate is tropical, hot, and humid throughout the year with little seasonal differences. INCENTIVES The Malaysian Government has a “Film in Malaysia Incentive” (FIMI), which is a 30% cash rebate on all qualifying Malaysian Production Expenditures (QMPE). This applies to both foreign and domestic productions. It is applicable to Feature Films, TV Series, Feature Animations, Animation Series, and Documentaries. To qualify as a foreign production: * The company must be using Malaysia for location filming AND/OR post production AND be co-producing with a Malaysian film producer. * Qualifying Malaysia Production Expenditure (QMPE) of MYR 5 million (about 1,140,900 USD) for production (inclusive of post production) OR; * MYR 1.0 million (about 228,000 USD) for post production activity only * Additional rebate of up to 5% available if the Malaysian cultural test is passed * Application must be submitted at least 3 months before the production date Facts and Figures Iskandar Malaysia Studios offers 5 sound stages, including the largest interior tank in South-East Asia, and can have space for a large studio audience. They also have an 11 acre backlot with a forest setting. They are the main area for these types of spaces in the country, although there are a few other small locations that have 1 or 2 sound stages or controlled film environments. SOURCES: https://kpmg.com/kpmg-us/content/dam/kpmg/pdf/2023/kpmg-film-tv-tax-guide-malaysia-2022.pdf -Incentives https://www.filminmalaysia.com/incentives/foreign-application/ -Incentives