For the People’s Choice Awards, it will be viewers who decide on the best film and favourite character, writes Dennis Chua
WHILE the annual Malaysian Film Festival pays tribute to the country’s best talents in acting and filmmaking, the Malaysian Film Producers Association feels its time to come up with a complementary festival — the People’s Choice Awards.
The new award show will be known as Blockbuster Awards 2011 and fans will have a chance to choose their best film, hero and villain, among others.
PFM president Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba says the inaugural awards show will be held at Stadium Malawati in Shah Alam on Oct 6 at 8pm. It will be shown live on Astro Ria.
She says: “The Blockbuster Awards is for fans to honour their favourites from 13 film and actor/character categories. Fans can either vote online or via Short Messaging Service.”
A total of 42 films, produced between Jan 1 and Dec 31 last year, are eligible for the awards.
The categories are Popular Film, Director, New Director, Action Film, Comedy Film, Horror Film, Drama / Musical, Hero, Heroine, Villain, Theme Song, New Actor and New Actress.
PFM deputy president Datuk Yusof Haslam says there will be a Special PFM Award for a distinguished member of the industry.
“This is PFM’s lifetime achievement award,” he adds.
While the awards honour Bahasa Malaysia films, PFM may have awards for films in other languages in the future.
Organising chairman Nancie Foo says that while the nominees are mostly Malaysians, non-Malaysians starring in Malaysian films can also be nominated. There will be six artistes hosting and presenting the awards, plus performances by local and foreign acts.
As for Popular Heroes and Villains, the ambiguity of characters in some films may lead to them being nominated in both categories, as is the practice in Hollywood.
Yusof says: “In gangster films, the main character may be on the wrong side of the law, and may be up for Hero, Villain or both.”
Astro Malay business vice president Khairul Anwar Salleh says the show’s theme is Glamorous And Energetic, and there will be five finalists for each award category.
A total of 21 film companies are involved in the awards. They are Metrowealth Pictures (nine films), Skop Productions (three), KRU Studios (two), Grand Brilliance / Primeworks Studios (five), Tayangan Unggul / Astro Shaw (six), Excellent Pictures (two), Line Clear Motion Pictures, Galaksi Seni, Outloud Studios, Kasehdia, Pengedar JAS, Cineworks, Artistik Pictures, White Merpati Entertainment, Cinematic Pictures, Empat Samudra Plantation, Genius Parade, Venture Hills, Million Euphoria, MDAG Marketing and De Reborn (one each).
The films in the running include Haq, Khurafat, Sini Ada Hantu, Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, Momok Jangan Panggil Aku, Kongsi, Nur Kasih The Movie, Karak, KL Gangster, 321 Cinta, Rasuk, Sekali Lagi, Tolong Awek Aku Pontianak, Flat 3A, Senario Ops Pocot, Karipap-Karipap Cinta, Hantu Bonceng, Raya Tak Jadi, Bini-Biniku Gangster, Libas, Klip 3GP, Alamak Toyol, Aku Bukan Tomboy, Misteri Jalan Lama, Ombak Rindu, Songlap, Datin Ghairah, Papa I Love You and Suatu Malam Kubur Berasap.
KRU Studios executive producer Norman Abdul Halim, who conceptualised the awards, says fans can make or break a movie, so this event is a great way for them to convey their “votes” to filmmakers.
“While the Malaysian Film Festival is 100 per cent decided by the industry, the Blockbuster Awards is 100 per cent decided by the fans,” he says, adding that it is like Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian minus the categories for singers, musicians and radio and television personalities.
Updates and details at www.pfm.org.my and www.astro.com.my.
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