Phnom Penh (FN), Mar. 5 – Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet instructed provincial and municipal administrations not to conduct additional reviews of film content once it has been approved by the Ministry of Culture and Fine Art.
The premier spoke on Wednesday (Mar. 5) at the 27th National Culture Day at the Diamond Island Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Samdech Thipadei underscored, “I have instructed the Ministry of Culture and Fine Art, as well as provincial and municipal administrations, that the Ministry of Culture is the expert. If a film’s content has already been approved by the Ministry of Culture, local authorities should not request to review it again when granting permission for filming locations in any province or in Phnom Penh. Instead, they should focus on monitoring the filming process.”
The prime minister stated that the film industry is a crucial part of Cambodia’s cultural sector. Over the past year, he has personally reviewed and implemented measures to address challenges and streamline filmmaking activities in the country for both local and international productions.
However, he acknowledged that the industry still faces obstacles, including financial and logistical challenges. He noted that Cambodia’s film market remains small, and private sector investment in film production equipment and rental services is still lacking.
Samdech Thipadei underlined that renting equipment from neighbouring countries remains costly, while the process of importing filming equipment into Cambodia is complicated and time-consuming, requiring further review and improvement.
Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet also pointed out that inefficiencies in coordination among ministries, institutions, and local authorities continue to create challenges for film producers. Furthermore, potential filming locations have yet to be properly prepared and made accessible to production teams.
Despite these challenges, the premier expressed pride in the progress of Cambodia’s film industry and reaffirmed the government's commitment to its continued development.
=FRESH NEWS
