Richard Johns\u2019 Argo Films\u00a0in the U.K. is aligning with Malaysian outfit Double Vision, headed by Min Lim, to launch the new venture Sympatico.<\/p>\n
Double Vision has produced local versions of the hit dramas\u00a0The Bridge<\/em> and Liar<\/em>, among several other scripted projects in the region. It will work with Argo on a slate of U.K.-Malaysian co-productions, aiming to deliver \u201cbold, authentic and entertaining film and television content that smashes stereotypes and organically integrates East and West for global audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n The slate of projects include the limited series espionage thriller Emergency<\/em>, in partnership with Fremantle and set in 1951 Malaysia; the 1920s-set The Last Kapitan<\/em>; and several films, including the modern-day western Tudung Girl<\/em> and Killing Time<\/em>, a Malaysian remake of Johns’ classic thriller.<\/p>\n Sympatico is expected to go into production on at least two projects in 2023.<\/p>\n Lim, head of production at Double Vision and a partner in Sympatico, commented: \u201cToo often, Southeast Asia has been portrayed in a mix of styles on screen with, for example, iconic establishing shots of Kuala Lumpur’s Twin Towers soon giving way to a location that resembles Vietnam, mixed with Hong Kong by way of Vancouver. And stories set here are frequently told from a Western perspective with \u2018white savior\u2019 characters leading the charge, sidelining local voices. Richard and I are equally passionate about authenticity. So if we have a production set in Malaysia, it will be filmed here, and the characters will speak proper Malay. And more importantly, we will have Asian characters as true and equal leads in stories that are as much about them and their country as it is about their Western counterparts. To this end, every title on the Sympatico slate has both Southeast Asian and British writers and creatives working closely together to ensure that they will be nothing less than true collaborations.\u201d<\/p>\n Johns, founder of Argo Films and partner in Sympatico, added: \u201cA chance introduction to Min Lim has subsequently opened up a world of new international opportunity for both of us and I feel very lucky to be working with her, creating Sympatico and developing a type of fresh scripted content that\u2019s rarely been seen before.<\/p>\n \u201cStrategically, Southeast Asia is certainly a region to watch and well-placed to deliver \u2018the next big thing.\u2019 Not only do territories such as Malaysia have their own unique culture, people and locations but it also has an industrious and skilled production sector and a highly competitive film and TV production incentive. After exploring the region\u2019s potential for myself and knowing Min\u2019s vision and determination to work these assets in the international marketplace, Sympatico is on course to deliver some cracking scripted content with the sort of high production values, distinctive stories and universal themes that are essential for broadcasters and streamers looking to offer something different to their audiences.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Richard Johns\u2019 Argo Films\u00a0in the U.K. is aligning with Malaysian outfit Double Vision, headed by Min Lim, to launch the new venture Sympatico.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":290,"featured_media":18186,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[5647,5599,5601,5651],"class_list":["post-18185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-top-stories","tag-argo-films","tag-double-vision","tag-min-lim","tag-richard-johns","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\n