The ninth Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) opened on July 18 at MyTown Shopping Centre in Kuala Lumpur, kicking off eight days of screenings and events running through July 25 under this year’s theme, “Resonance.” Alongside the opening, the festival also received an official ASEAN Records recognition, marking a major milestone in its nine-year history.
MIFFest was awarded the title of “First independently organised International Film Festival to feature a concurrent annual film awards ceremony and a standing Regional Cinema Curatorial Programme.” The recognition was presented at the opening ceremony, honouring the festival’s Asean On Screen programme and its annual Malaysia Golden Global Awards. Festival founder Joanne Goh called the recognition humbling, adding that it belongs to every filmmaker, partner, and supporter who believes in the power of cinema to bring people together.
The opening ceremony closed with the world premiere of the Malaysian feature “Baga: Tomorrow Belongs to No One”. Directed by Ariff Zulkarnain and produced by Syafiq Kyle and Syafiq Yusof, the film is set in a conservative seaside village on Malaysia’s East Coast and follows young lovers Jani and Melur as they navigate an unexpected pregnancy, poverty, and addiction. It stars Amir Ahnaf, Amirah Razak, Wan Hanafi Su, Fad Anuar, Mat Over, and Zalif Side. Zulkarnain said the film had been two years in the making, describing it as a deeply personal neo-noir drama shaped through collaboration with the wider cast and crew.
This year’s edition will honour South Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dongwith a lifetime achievement award, with two of his films, “Oasis and Peppermint Candy”, also screening during the festival. Chinese actor and martial artist Wu Jing has been named this year’s actor in focus, with his recent film ‘Blades of the Guardians’ included in the programme. Festival ambassadors Bront Palarae, Daiyan Trisha, and Jack Tan also attended the opening, along with Tourism Malaysia chairman Datuk Manoharan Periasamy, who reaffirmed the government’s support for the festival’s role in Malaysia’s creative industry.
The festival’s Asean On Screen section, launched in 2025 alongside Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship, returns this year with six regional films: Vietnam’s ‘Bury Us in a Lone Desert’, Indonesia’s ‘Dopamine’, Thailand’s ‘Phra Ruang: Rise of the Empire’, the Philippines’ ‘Republic of Pipolipinas’, Malaysia’s ‘Tears in Kuala Lumpur’, and Singapore’s ‘The Sandbox’.
Ten films are competing for the festival’s top honours this year: “Ah Girl, Aisha Can’t Fly Away, Becoming Human, Broken Voices, Girl, Lucky Lu, Riverstone, Silent Rebellion, The Red Hangar, and The Waves Will Carry Us”. In total, MIFFest 2026 will showcase 62 films from 35 countries and regions before wrapping up with the Malaysia Golden Global Awards.
The Malaysia Golden Global Awards, or MGGA, is the festival’s annual awards ceremony and the event that officially closes out MIFFest each year. It honours filmmaking achievements across categories including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Supporting Actor and Actress, Best New Director, Audience Choice Award, and the Lifetime Achievement Award, which this year goes to Lee Chang-dong. It was this pairing of a competitive awards show with a standing regional programme that helped MIFFest secure its new ASEAN Records title.
Goh described MIFFest as still growing after nine years, adding that she has watched it expand each year to draw both local and international audiences to Malaysia. With the ASEAN Records title now behind it, MIFFest continues its run through July 25, closing out with its annual awards ceremony.
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