{
  "id": 18120981,
  "title": "#SHOWBIZ: 'Wait-for-streaming' culture harming local cinema, warns director",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/showbiz-wait-for-streaming-culture-harming-local-cinema-warns-director",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-04T12:50:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/lifestyle/groove/2026/11/1570898/showbiz-wait-streaming-culture-harming-local-cinema-warns-director"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR: Ariff Zulkarnain, director of the local feature Baga: Esok Untuk Siapa, has expressed concern that moviegoers waiting for films to be released on Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms may ultimately harm the local cinema industry. In an interview with Harian Metro, Ariff highlighted the financial impact on Malaysian filmmakers and the loss of the communal experience of watching movies together in theaters, which cannot be replicated on home screens. He warned that if this trend continues, with films appearing on Netflix just three months after their theatrical release, audiences could eventually stop visiting cinemas altogether. Something must be done to address this issue, according to Ariff, who intends to discuss it with other producers. The rise of busy modern lifestyles has led many people to watch films alone on their smartphones, posing a significant challenge for local filmmakers. These audiences only go to the cinema for big-budget blockbusters that offer visually spectacular experiences. For films like Baga, some may prefer watching them at home, but the shared experience of watching a film on a big screen with an audience remains unmatched. Ariff clarified that there are currently no plans to sell the streaming rights of his current project to OTT platforms, and he hopes that audiences will choose to watch the film in cinemas rather than waiting for its release on a streaming service.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: Ariff Zulkarnain, director of the local feature Baga: Esok Untuk Siapa, has warned that moviegoers waiting for films to hit Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms could slowly destroy the local cinema industry.",
  "key_points": [
    "Ariff Zulkarnain warns streaming culture harms local Malaysian cinema.",
    "Films released on OTT platforms three months after theatrical release.",
    "Shared cinema experience unique and cannot be replicated at home."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}