Entertainment Expo Pulses with Action
Stars Tony Leung and Jeon Do-yeon add glamour to EE's opening gala, the Asian Film Awards
When actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai spoke about returning for the fourth year as the Entertainment Expo (EE) Ambassador, he saw the role as both an honor and a challenge.
The honor was a reflection of his personal standing in the Hong Kong film and entertainment industry, he said. The challenge was that the industry has been through some hard times – and part of his role was to use his international profile to propel it towards better days.
Looking back on a month full of EE activities, the award-winning actor can consider the job well done.
At the opening night's gala Asian Film Awards – which boasted a gathering of the region's top stars – Mr. Leung walked away with the Best Actor award for his role in the Ang Lee-directed Lust, Caution.
And as far as the bigger picture goes, the figures speak for themselves. A record number of industry professionals attended this year's FILMART, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). It was expanded to include 60 events covering screenings of film premieres, seminars, international press conferences, a music and digital entertainment fair, while giving the world's filmmakers a platform to meet and do business.
Positive results
The reaction from the participants was undeniably positive.
"I'm very happy with FILMART," said Darrin Ramage, the Los Angeles-based president of Maxim Media International, who specializes in low budget horror films.
"I was at the first FILMART. What I like about it is that they have it right. They treat the exhibitors well and they get the buyers here. That's the bottom line because we come to meet other buyers. I make more contacts here in two days than I do in a week at the big Los Angeles markets."
Mr. Ramage was among more than 2,000 overseas visitors at FILMART, a contingent that made up about 50 percent of total attendees. Visitors from the Mainland of China topped the list followed by those from Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and the United States.
San Francisco-based producer Roger Garcia said there was a positive mood around the exhibition venue, fuelled by impressive start-of-year box office figures in the region and some healthy sales at the market.
"There was a buzz around the place this year," he said. "People were talking about the fact the business was brisk and there were plenty of deals being lined up for the future."
Surge of buyers
The highest profile movie up for grabs this year was Universe Entertainment's The Stormriders II and – perhaps urged on by the presence of Hong Kong stars Aaron Kwok and Ekin Chen – buyers from the Mainland of China, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand snapped up rights on the first day.
The big American players were in attendance with Disney expressing interest in the US$15 million Mandarin language Painted Skin, while international action stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li added extra glamour for the release of the co-production The Forbidden Kingdom, which was released in the U.S. by Lionsgate and in Hong Kong by Emperor Motion Pictures.
Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was also in town to toast The Weinstein Company's latest move into the Asian film world – an output deal with Hong Kong's Sundream Motion Pictures.
Industry insider were also talking about the strengthening of Hong Kong as a shooting venue for international productions, with two big budget Japanese features already having made use of the city's skyline this year.
Film hub of Asia
The positive mood around town was also reflected in an independent on-site survey conducted around FILMART and the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum.
More than 60 percent of the 338 respondents said they thought FILMART was the most important film market in Asia, while nearly 80 percent agreed that Hong Kong remained a major Asian content production, distribution, trading and film financing center.
"There is a lot of excitement, a lot of anticipation, and a lot of money coming from other parts of the world to the fair," explained Matthew O’Connor, in town representing Canada's Reunion Pictures.
Mr. Garcia agreed, saying the Hong Kong event had carved a niche for itself before the Cannes Film Festival and after Berlinale which enabled film and entertainment industry heavyweights to plan their strategies for the following 12 months.
"It's known as a great place to catch up with people and even if deals are not actually finalized, you see the ground work being laid here in Hong Kong," he said.
FilmMart: http://www.hkfilmart.com/filmart/
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