What Chinese audiences are responding to in Malaysian films

Malaysian films may be gaining a new audience in China, where recent screenings have shown that emotionally resonant stories can transcend cultural boundaries. Five local titles were shown at the China-Malaysia Film Festival 2026 in Beijing, offering producers a rare chance to gauge Chinese viewers' responses to stories set in Malaysia.

Among the films were "The Last Dive" and "Babah," which struck a chord for different reasons. "The Last Dive" was praised for its marine conservation, underwater visuals, and the story of a person with disabilities overcoming personal challenges. Executive production director Wendy Wong noted that the response exceeded expectations, with Chinese viewers comparing the film's visuals to a Hollywood production.

The reaction also provided insight into what Chinese distributors might be seeking: emotionally engaging stories, particularly those involving romance and family, as well as Malaysian culture, everyday life, urban settings, and food. "Babah," for example, has a strong emotional core centered around the father-daughter relationship, which resonates across cultural backgrounds.

The film has already been screened in Brunei, Singapore, and appeared on Netflix, but China had not been a major market for Malaysian filmmakers. While the market remains tightly controlled and competitive, with censorship requirements and distribution structures to navigate, early screenings suggest a promising opportunity. The key challenge will be ensuring that Malaysian films are well-received by Chinese audiences in cinemas, making the response to these screenings a valuable form of audience testing.