A new funding initiative is being launched at this year’s Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (Filmart) that leans on the commercial nous of Creative Artists Agency (CAA) to help guide the fortunes of emerging Chinese-language filmmakers.
Labeled the HKIFF Industry-CAA China Genre Initiative, or HCC, this collaboration between the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) and CAA China supplies funds to “support and facilitate the growth and progress of Chinese-language genre projects.”
“Project markets were a European invention that were transplanted to this part of the world, Asia, where there wasn’t a tradition of subsidies,” explains Jacob Wong, the HKIFF’s industry director. “They were traditionally focused on arthouse films but here in Hong Kong we are more open to adapting to the business environment and that’s why we are keen to work with corporate or private entities.”
HCC comes with two $20,000 prizes, and five selected projects will feature in industry screenings at Filmart this week as part of the initiative’s inaugural edition.
Among the projects included is the latest from veteran producer Guan Hu (The Eight Hundred), who’s overseeing the comedy-drama Dying Fire, being directed by Rotterdam FIPRESCI Prize-winner Gao Linyang (To Love Again).
As well as the cash prizes, the winners will be offered script guidance from a panel of mentors and the option of possible “script development agreements with” CAA China.
“We are keen to explore the commercial Chinese-language market where we are seeing such a wide diversity emerge,” said Wong. “It makes sense to find parties who know the commercial film market.”
The HCC initiative, along with the in-development and work-in-progress sides of HKIFFS’ long-running Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) program, falls under the all-encompassing umbrella of what’s been christened as the “HKIFF Project Market”.
“Bringing both programs together makes things easier for the work we are doing, which is to help filmmakers get their projects made,” said Wong.
The year’s HAF features 26 in-development projects and 15 works-in-progress. Among the established and emerging talent represented with new projects are China’s Berlin Silver Bear-winner Wang Xiaoshuai (Beijing Bicycle) and Thailand’s Busan New Currents award-winner Patiparn Boontarig (Solids by the Seashore).
HAF has built up an impressive strike rate over the years, with Chinese director Wen Muye’s black comedy-thriller Dying To Survive the most obvious success. It emerged out of HAF’s 2016 WIP program to gross $459 million worldwide.
Chinese producer Fan Zhang has brought the rural drama The Wind is Unstoppable to town as part of the WIP program, and she believes the fact that HAF is part of Filmmart means projects are instantly exposed to “a more international industry compared to other similar pitching forums.”
“For Work-In-Progress project like us, it’s important to plan ahead and get exposure at the right time,” Zhang said. “HAF fits our goal for meeting high-quality international sales people and getting festival screening opportunity perfectly.”
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiYWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmhvbGx5d29vZHJlcG9ydGVyLmNvbS9tb3ZpZXMvbW92aWUtbmV3cy9maWxtYXJ0LTIwMjQtZ2VucmUtaW5pdGlhdGl2ZS1jYWEtMTIzNTg0NjM4OC_SAWVodHRwczovL3d3dy5ob2xseXdvb2RyZXBvcnRlci5jb20vbW92aWVzL21vdmllLW5ld3MvZmlsbWFydC0yMDI0LWdlbnJlLWluaXRpYXRpdmUtY2FhLTEyMzU4NDYzODgvYW1wLw?oc=5
2024-03-10 21:00:19Z
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Filmart: New Genre Initiative Taps into CAA Connections - Hollywood Reporter"
Post a Comment