KOTA KINABALU: June 25, 2026 – The organisers of the Sabah Film Appreciation (AFiS) 2026 have announced that the Sabah Film Special Screening, scheduled as part of the AFiS 2026 programme, will be relocated to City Cineplex at City Mall, Luyang.
AFiS 2026 organising chairman Chester Pang said the decision was made after the organisers encountered difficulties in securing booking confirmation from Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC).
According to him, five local Sabah works scheduled for screening – the documentary The Sight of Borneo Kirin, Craze Below The Wind, Ninavau, Silence of The 177 and the film MANTERA – had originally been planned to be shown at GSC Suria Sabah.
“For the past two weeks, we have been trying to contact GSC’s management based in Kuala Lumpur through their official channel, which is only via email. However, they were unresponsive and feedback was only received at the very last minute.
“GSC only contacted us on Tuesday afternoon, offering the use of a larger cinema hall at a rental rate that was far higher and beyond the financial means of our association, which is a non-profit organisation,” he said in a media statement on Thursday.
He added that the organisers appreciated the offer made, but budget constraints required them to seek a more practical and community-friendly alternative.
“It is easier and more suitable for us to deal with local Sabah cinemas that better understand the needs and financial capabilities of creative industry organisers in this region,” he said.
Earlier, the organisers had chosen GSC Suria Sabah to make it easier for film industry practitioners to gather in one location throughout the duration of AFiS 2026. Besides the film screenings, the programme also features an exhibition of works by Sabah producers and directors, a series of sharing sessions with creative industry professionals, and the 4th Golden Wind Award (GoWA) night, which will be held at the Ballroom of Hotel 7 Suria Sabah.
Despite the change in screening venue, the organisers are confident that audience and industry support will remain strong, and expressed the hope that support for local Sabah film productions would be further strengthened through platforms such as AFiS 2026.
