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FINAS to check Film Exhibition License for drive-in cinemas

 The drive-in cinema trend has long existed in Western countries as well as several Asian countries.
The drive-in cinema trend has long existed in Western countries as well as several Asian countries.

15 Jul – Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri, CEO of the National Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS), has stated that FINAS will inspect and fine-tune the Film Exhibition License for drive-in cinemas to ensure that the films being screened are not pirated copies.

"Drive-in cinemas are under the exhibition sector and it has become a trend due to the new normal. The safety of the content should be prioritised.

"To do this, we might have to draft or do several improvements to the license to suit this kind of screenings. However, to date, we have yet to decide on the matter," Ahmad Idham stated, as per Bernama.

He added that FINAS will work with the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) and Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT) to fine-tune the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) related to drive-in cinemas for the reference of all operators involved.

There will need to be control, he clarified, so that this doesn't clash with FINAS' agenda to strengthen the film industry in Malaysia.

Recently on 9 July, government approved requests to hold drive-in cinemas in accordance to SOP, which include moviegoers having to stay inside their own respective cars and food to only be sold online and picked up via drive-through.

(Photo source: Martin Meissner | AP | Insider)