Working throughout the identical week as Hong Kong‘s Filmart, the Hong Kong-Asia Movie Financing Discussion board (HAF) is certainly one of Asia’s longest-running undertaking markets. In its twenty third version this yr, the three-day HAF will characteristic 25 shortlisted initiatives in-development from March 17 to 19.
This yr’s initiatives embrace Yellow, which is produced by high Japanese fillmmaker Hirokazu Kore-eda for brand new director Miyoh Yamaura, in addition to Republic of Mahalaxmi Residence, the debut characteristic from Niladri Mukherjee, which is produced by Indian director Aditya Vikram Sengupta.
In accordance with HKIFF Trade Director Jacob Wong, HAF obtained 276 in-development undertaking submissions from 45 international locations and areas this yr, together with Hong Kong, Thailand, Turkey, Kazakhstan and South Korea.
“Geographically, Hong Kong is on the southernmost of East Asian and northernmost of Southeast Asia, and looks like a perfect place to carry collectively individuals from each areas,” Wong tells Deadline. “We do all the opposite issues as a result of we wish to do a bit extra, particularly with youthful filmmakers.
“HAF has been in enterprise for a few years, is really a regional and worldwide occasion, which is sort of engaging to individuals from mainland China. It all the time has a good line-up and a monitor document of initiatives attending and successful at main movie festivals, and infrequently, changing into field workplace winners. If you’re good, typically you are also blessed with success.”
Whereas HAF anchors the expanded HKIFF Trade Venture Market, which takes place on the Hong Kong Conference & Exhibition Centre, business applications like HAF Goes to Cannes, HAF Movie Lab are all additionally parked below the broader HKIFF Trade umbrella.
Moreover, HKIFF Trade will associate with CAA China for a second version subsequent yr to run the HKIFF Trade-CAA China Style Initiative (HCG), which final occurred in 2024. This yr, they’ll present a script session award.
Wong highlights that two key additions to HKIFF Trade this yr embrace the the Animation Initiative, which can showcase six initiatives and host two panels on Asian animation along side Filmart. In accordance with occasion organisers, there was a 60% surge in submissions within the animation class since final yr, reflecting the business’s speedy progress within the area.
“It’s fairly obvious that animation is changing into an essential product line, and we’re very to see it flourish,” says Wong.
The opposite addition is a brand new collaboration with Jakarta Movie Week, which can see two Indonesian initiatives arriving on the market. Wong says that forming partnerships with different organizations and occasions from round Asia is a key focus for HKIFF Trade’s future.
2024 proved to be a blended yr for Hong Kong’s movie business. Though two home productions — The Final Dance and Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In surged previous the HK$100M (US$12.9M) mark on the field workplace in a single yr, whole annual income dropped and fewer movies are being produced in Hong Kong.
“When my merchandise don’t promote, I ask questions on my merchandise,” says Wong. “Realistically it’s most likely fairly tough for a metropolis of seven.5 million to assist and maintain a movie business. Nurturing a movie tradition is nonetheless a definite chance. That might be the European mannequin of subsidy cinema with the federal government enjoying a serious position.”
Wong highlighted the necessity for larger assist for filmmakers creating their sophomore options. He identified administrators like Sasha Chuk, who made the triple Golden Horse-winning Fly Me to the Moon. She is at present placing collectively her second characteristic with financing primarily coming from Hong Kong. Chuk is planning to shoot the movie in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
“The federal government already has a beneficiant scheme for supporting first options, however not a lot additional on,” says Wong. “We’ve seen the primary characteristic assist producing some first rate outcomes, however few such first-time filmmakers shifting on to their second movie.”
