Netflix raises its bet on films and shows from Southeast Asia, having seen their global appeal
- Thai mystery thriller Girl From Nowhere and Malaysian horror film Roh are among the Southeast Asian films on Netflix to earn global acclaim
- ‘We believe great stories can come from anywhere and more people deserve to see their lives reflected on screen,’ says regional director for streaming giant
Netflix is investing more than ever in its Southeast Asian content, reflecting the region’s importance in the company’s global programming strategy. The online streaming giant has almost doubled its content catalogue from the fast growing region every year since 2016, when it launched its first Southeast Asian title.
The impact of this has been felt far beyond the region’s borders of over 650 million. For example, the second season of Thai mystery thriller Girl From Nowhere has gained international acclaim, while the Malaysian horror film Roh has been praised globally for how it successfully conveyed a sense of ominous, creeping dread without resorting to jump scares.
Malobika Banerji, the content director for Netflix in Southeast Asia, says cultural diversity plays an important role in this success.
“Variety, diversity and quality are what we look for all over the world. To do that, we hire great local teams, partner with the best filmmakers, support new voices, and produce and license great stories,” she says.
Stories from the 11 countries of Southeast Asia have inherent potential for diverse perspectives and experiences, and recently released titles cover a variety of genres from horror to anime and comedy to drama.
