The Motion Picture Association (MPA) partnered with the U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur today to host a special screening of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in celebration of World Intellectual Property (IP) Day. The event, themed “Women and IP: Accelerating innovation and creativity”, was held at GSC The Starling Mall. and was supported by KRU Media, Golden Screen Cinemas and Universal Pictures.
Guest of Honour Ts Dr. Mohd Zuhan Mohd Zain, Chairman of Intellectual Property Corporation Of Malaysia (MyIPO) said, “Today we have an excellent opportunity to highlight how the IP system can support creative women in their quest to bring their amazing ideas to market. As we celebrate World IP Day, it is good to recognize how robust copyright provides the foundation for creative enterprise to flourish. Without modern, effective copyright laws, those working in the creative fields will not be able to build and sustain a business, employ others, and deliver quality content that entertains us, educates us and enhances our culture.”
His Excellency Brian D. McFeeters, U.S. Ambassador to Malaysia, said, “On World IP Day, we celebrate women creators, innovators, and change-makers, and reinforce our commitment to empowering enterprising women who are forging new horizons with their ground-breaking ideas.”
Ed Neubronner, Senior Vice President, Regional Operations, Communications, Corporate Affairs & Administration, Asia Pacific, said, “The creative business relies on being able to transform great ideas into films or television shows, and find innovative ways of getting them in front of audiences. Every step of that process requires imagination and talent, so today is an important day for focusing on our creative minds and making sure we provide an environment that fully protects their work.”
The special movie screening today also welcomed 75 game developers representing 11 Southeast Asian countries who are in Kuala Lumpur for the U.S. Embassy’s YSEALI Game Changers program. The Game Changers program includes a workshop on how to design games that address social issues and a game jam during which participants will prototype games that address topics including climate change, civic engagement, economic empowerment, education, and more. The program is made possible through the Young Southeast Asia Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), the U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen partnerships with emerging leaders in Southeast Asia. Learn more here: https://ysealigamechangers.com/
Every year MPA Asia Pacific works alongside local stakeholders to organize outreach programs during World IP Day to foster greater interaction among creative communities, various government agencies and students from all levels. These programs provide a platform for people to discuss, share and demonstrate how respect for IP can shape the future and contribute to a more vibrant global economy. This year, MPA partnered with U.S. Embassies, Consulates, government agencies and local film industries on more than ten events in Asia Pacific countries including China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
This article was first published on Motion Picture Association