KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Nov. 18, 2014 (ANTARA/PRNewswire) -- Tropfest Southeast Asia (Tropfest SEA), the Asian edition of the world's largest short film festival, has announced major partnerships including Yayasan Sime Darby, Malaysia Major Events, and the Motion Picture Association (MPA).

Tropfest SEA Managing Director, Joe Sidek, says he is excited to bring regional storytelling to a wider audience.

"Stories are at the very heart of the Tropfest ethos," notes Sidek. "It doesn't matter what your age, budget, nationality, profession are -- Tropfest SEA is a platform for every kind of story. Everybody has a story to tell, and with the support of these partnerships, we hope that each story will touch hearts across the region."

The winner of Tropfest SEA 2015 will receive US$12,000, courtesy of Yayasan Sime Darby, as well as a five-day industry immersion trip to Los Angeles, sponsored by MPA.

Says Yayasan Sime Darby Chairman YABhg Tun Musa Hitam: "We are proud to be part of the second edition of Tropfest South East Asia through our sponsorship, which is in line with our arts and culture pillar." Yayasan Sime Darby's RM 700,00 sponsorship will contribute towards the production cost of the event.

"By having Tropfest in Malaysia, we will be on par with other host countries - Australia, UAE, USA and New Zealand," adds Tun Musa. "Malaysia will be a platform for films and related arts in Southeast Asia."

Support from MME for the second consecutive year marks out Tropfest SEA as one of the key events in Malaysia's cultural calendar for 2015.

"This event is a wonderful way to bring people together, especially those in the short film industry, said Tony Nagamaiah, General Manager of MME.

"This event will strengthen Malaysia's appeal as a leading entertainment destination for major in line with our initiative for the Malaysia Year of Festivals 2015 celebration," adds Nagamaiah

Mike Ellis, President and Managing Director, Asia Pacific, MPA, says: "We are delighted to continue our close association with Tropfest SEA. It is one of the most exciting film events in Asia, offering the next generation of filmmaking talent the opportunity to test their skills and exchange ideas."

Tropfest SEA also announced partnerships with online video platform Viddsee, and J. Walter Thompson, one of the world's leading creative agencies.

For more information about Tropfest SEA, please visit tropfest.com/sea.

CONTACT: Isabel Asquith, +604-261-3061.

Reporter: PR Wire
Editor: PR Wire
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