Astro Launches New A-List Channel

This is the event that we were supposed to go last Friday but we couldn’t attend due to the flight delay. Nevertheless, I’m still going to share with you what was it all about.

Are you ready to be on the A-List? Movie connoisseurs can look forward to a brand new and exciting experience with the launch of A-List, Astro’s latest HD channel to showcase the best award-winning and critically-acclaimed international and regional films. A-List will be available on Astro channel 456 from October 1st, 2013.

(Left to right) Astro launches new A-List channel; Agnes Rozario (VP of Content Management, Astro), Liew Swee Lin (CCO, Astro), Henry Tan (COO, Astro) & Teng Lee Yein (VP of Acquisition & Distribution, Astro)

The A-List channel will be available for Astro’s pay-TV customers in Malaysia and Brunei, and they are working on making it available to audiences regionally in the future via Astro On-The-Go and other TV platforms.

A-List models at the launch of Astro’s new HD channel, A-List

A-List titles will be presented in its original language with multi-language subtitle options available. Every month, A-List will premiere 8 critically-acclaimed titles from film international festivals such as the Busan International Film Festival, Berlinale Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival.

How Astro’s A-List titles are curated?
Award winning and nominated titles are carefully curated to be on A-List based on the following criteria:

• Themes, relevance, whimsical and unique take on issues, ability to provoke thoughts and discussions
• To showcase the works of new and exciting film makers
• To premiere the most talk-about international titles in Malaysia and the region
• Real life stories and relevant social-economic and political landscape of the world and the region.

In October, the A-List channel will premiere 8 contemporary films including films that are based on real life events such as “National Security” which is authentic and raw in its telling of the story of South Korea’s former minister, Kim Jong Tae’s arrest and interrogation over 22 days for his involvement in the democracy movement. It gives viewers a glimpse into South Korea’s modern history.

Other films include Berlin-7, which is still on the film festival circuit and tells the story of the struggle and survival of an Iranian man who moves his family from Iraq to Berlin to keep them safe after the US attacks Iraq. Also, not to be missed is the Academy Award winner for best foreign film, The Secret in Their Eyes set primarily in contemporary Argentina with intermittent flashbacks to the 1970s when the country was descending into a military dictatorship, the film is by turns a whodunit (and why), a romance and something of a love story.

On a lighter note, catch the South Korean romance comedy, How to Use Guys with Secret Tips, starring Lee Si Young and Oh Jung Se, which won awards at the 2013 Udine Far East Film Festival and at the 2013 FanTasia International Film Festival. For more light-hearted romance comedy, watch the Taiwanese film, When Wolf Falls in Love with Sheep that won numerous awards at the 2013 Asian Film Awards.

Two-times Oscar winner Sir Michael Caine will entertain you with this love story about a suicidal stubborn old man who finds love and life again, after meeting a young woman by accident in the comedy drama Mr Morgan’s Last Love, directed by multi award winning director, Sandra Nettlebeck.

Astro customers can expect more new and exciting contemporary titles to be added on the A-List channel in the coming months like Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Joss Whedon of The Avenger’s fame and which won the 13th Belfast Film Festival Audience Award and A Monkey on my shoulder, starring Juliette Binoche who won numerous awards. Customers can access the A-List channel via a monthly subscription of RM 15 for 8 titles for Astro Byond pay-TV subscribers in Malaysia and Brunei as well as ala carte purchase of titles at RM8 per title via Astro Byond VOD.

For more details on how to subscribe to A-List, please log on to http://www.astro.com.my/A-List or go to Channel 200 or contact 1300 82 3838.