FINAS FORGES COLLABORATION WITH LATIN AMERICAN PRODUCTION HOUSE

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- The National Film Development Corporation
(Finas) has entered into a collaboration with Latin American production house,
Latin Media to produce telenovelas in Bahasa Malaysia, Malaysia's national
language.

Finas director-general Mahyidin Mustakim said Latin Media's chairman Jose
Escalante would be visiting Malaysia next month work out the details on the
project.

"We signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on this with Latin Media when
Finas participated in the Mipcom exhibition in Cannes, France earlier this
month.

"Latin Media will be involved in the creative aspects while the crew and
actors will be locals," he told reporters after attending the 22nd Malaysian
Film Festival Appreciation Night here Monday night.

He added that Finas and Latin Media were investing RM2 million (US$588,138)
each in the venture.

"It will also entail the telenovela being brought to South America to be
viewed by the people there. This is one of our efforts to market our products
internationally," he said.

A telenovela is drama series usually with over 100 episodes.
--BERNAMA