Will Smith Turns Spotlight on Hong Kong
It was the perfect Christmas present for the Hong Kong film industry.
When Hollywood superstar Will Smith was in Hong Kong in December 2007 for the launch of his latest blockbuster, the thriller I Am Legend, he first revealed to reporters that he had been in talks with Hong Kong actor and director Stephen Chow Sing-chi about the pair joining forces to make films.
Mr. Smith confessed to a fascination with all things offered by the Hong Kong film industry. "I'm always telling people I am interested in story telling," said Mr. Smith. "And the people here in Hong Kong have always been able to tell the most amazing stories. The more Hong Kong films I watch, the more I have wanted to get involved in the local film making process."
If Mr. Smith's stay in Hong Kong was brief, its impact might just linger. Mr. Smith left having asked Mr. Chow to direct a remake of the 1980s Hollywood hit The Karate Kid, while Mr. Chow in turn asked Mr. Smith to make a cameo in his next project – an adaptation of Journey to the West.
Film making talents shine
With Hong Kong set to figure prominently in both productions, the news capped off a year that saw a further resurgence of the city's film making talents.
Peter Chan Ho-sun's epic The Warlords was sweeping all before it in cinemas both in Hong Kong and on the Mainland of China as the year came to an end, while the Ang Lee helmed Lust, Caution – produced by Bill Kong of Hong Kong company Edko – swept almost all the major prizes given out at Taiwan's Golden Horse Awards. Included in those, were the best actor gong for Hong Kong's premiere star, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and the award for best picture of the year.
Lust, Caution was also generating an enormous buzz at film festivals all over the world as we turned into 2008, and picked up a Golden Globe nomination for best foreign film as the Hollywood awards assembly lines crank into action.
Hong Kong also found itself used as a backdrop for the big-budgeted The Dark Knight – the second in Hollywood director Christopher Nolan's Batman series.
The city has grown as a center for computer-generated film-making with the release of TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), the Imagi-produced CGI hit that went on to gross close to US$100 million in box office receipts worldwide.
FILMART plays a leading role
The premiere of TMNT was one of the highlights of last year's Hong Kong Trade Development Council-organized FILMART, which in turn was one of the featured events of Hong Kong Entertainment Expo.
According to Sophia Chong, HKTDC's Senior Service Promotions Manager, the forum that FILMART provides has played a vital role in helping to reinvigorate the local industry.
"In 2007, we had 453 exhibitors from 30 countries, up more than 11 percent from the previous year," she said. "This year, we have already topped that figure and filmmakers are finding the event a place where they can come together and discuss ideas. The most important role FILMART plays is to provide this forum – it is a place where they can open up a dialogue."
The 2008 Entertainment Expo will run from March 17 to April 14, with FILMART to be again staged at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from March 17-20.
The past 12 months have again seen some of Hong Kong's most exciting film talent step out on to the international stage, in particular the Pang brothers, Oxide and Danny. The pair made their English language bow with The Messengers in 2007 and are awaiting the release of the English-language remake of the 1999 hit Bangkok Dangerous, which stars Nicolas Cage.
As well as having two individual projects finished in the past 12 months – In Love With The Dead for Danny and The Detective for Oxide – the brothers announced they would team up for a sequel to the 1998 martial arts hit The Storm Riders for Universe Entertainment.
Blockbuster year forecast
Hong Kong filmmakers have also entered the New Year buoyed by the news that the influential Weinstein Co. – founded by former Miramax heads Bob and Harvey - have set up an Asian film fund. With a starting capital of some US$275 million, the fund will be administered by Goldman Sachs and has already helped Wong Kar-wai get his latest film, My Blueberry Nights, up on to the big screen.
And with Beijing hosting this year's Olympic Games, the local industry has thrown its support behind promoting the event throughout 2008.
Hong Kong Film Development Council Chairman Jack So told a gathering of 200 industry heavyweights that the next 12 months would be the perfect time for filmmakers to turn their lenses on the attractions of both Hong Kong and the mainland, while Hong Kong Chamber of Films Chairman, Peter Lam, revealed the chamber would help shoot a series of promotional videos to be shown in local cinemas.
Hong Kong FILMART: http://www.hkfilmart.com/default.asp?lang=en
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