| James Kon |
BRUNEI’S Mahakarya Institute of Arts recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with TAFE Queensland in Gold Coast, Australia as a stepping stone towards Brunei’s very first Film and Arts College.
The college will commence operations in 2018 to pave the way for creative development of local and foreign students in filmmaking.
The MoU was signed between Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Hajah Nurul Amal Munjiatul Athirah binti Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Sura Negara Pengiran Anak Haji Muhammad Bey Muntassir, the owner and co-founder of the Mahakarya Institute of Arts and Karen Dickenson, the General Manager of TAFE Queensland.
Among those present at the signing were Haji Zakaria bin Haji Ahmad, the High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to Australia and Siti Kamaluddin, local film director and co-founder of the Mahakarya Institute of Arts.
The MoU signed between both institutions is a significant milestone with it being the first partnership between an Australian university and a Brunei private institution.
Siti Kamaluddin said, “The cultural contribution of film and visual arts to a particular country is immeasurable. It is exciting that TAFE Queensland Gold Coast will be a new destination for film education in Brunei, and that Brunei will be a new destination for TAFE.”
Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Anak Hajah Nurul Amal Munjiatul Athirah added, “Film is a great way to showcase Brunei culture, identity and our stories. Our film industry is still raw. There is definitely an interest among the youths to make films, as we can see from the number of Brunei films, contents and short videos being produced on a yearly basis.
“Our aim is to provide our students with the required hands-on education, experience and practise to prepare them for a career in filmmaking, whether through a production house or a film set, setting up their own production house or making their own films, using the networking that they will get through the institution.”
The Mahakarya Institute of Arts also aims to provide greater opportunities and benefits for students to receive foreign education in Brunei Darussalam, while nurturing their careers in the film and visual arts industry.
With TAFE’s proven experience and history of success, the institution is confident of delivering quality education to aspiring filmmakers in the Sultanate.
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