Hong Kong Entertainment Newsletter

A brand new edition of HAF, Asia's first film project market of the year, will open alongside FILMART and the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) and run from 20 – 22 March, 2007.

Organized by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, and co-organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Hong Kong, Kowloon & New Territories Motion Picture Industry Association Ltd. (MPIA), HAF is the pivotal co-production market for Asian films, which has always been a magnet to world renowned filmmakers. HAF is pleased to announce 25 newly selected projects for 2007. The directors include Jia Zhangke, the winner of Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival 2006; Zhang Yuan, internationally acclaimed director of Seventeen Years and Little Red Flowers; Xu Jinglei, renowned actress and the Best Director of San Sebastian Film Festival 2004; Kore-eda Hirokazu of Afterlife and Nobody Knows; Kurosawa Kiyoshi who shot to fame with Pulse and Bright Future; Kim Jee-woon of Three and A Bittersweet Life; also the helmer of Untold Scandal E J-yong. Not to mention autures from Hong Kong include Clara Law (The Goddess of 1967, Letters to Ali), Mabel Cheung (An Autumn’s Tale, The Soong Sisters), Pang Ho Cheung (Isabella), Yan Yan Mak (Butterfly) and actor/director Francis Ng (9413).

Looking back at previous editions, some of the projects that became critically acclaimed films include Tsai Ming-liang’s The Wayward Wind , Kore-eda Hirokazu’s Distance Hur Jin-ho’s One Fine Spring Day, E J-yong’s Untold Scandal and Hong Kong box office hits like The Touch and Dragon Tiger Gate. Three of HAF projects have been selected as official entries for the Best Foreign Language Film category of the Academy Awards; Invisible Waves (Producer Wouter Barendrecht; Director Pen-ek Ratanaruang) and The Tin Mine (Producer Yongyoot Thongkongtoon; Director Jira Maligool) representing Thailand whilst Love for Share (Producer Constantin Papadimitriou and Claude Kuentz; Director Nia Dinata) representing Indonesia.

Recently completed HAF projects include Air directed by Zhang Yang (Chinese mainland); Lost in Beijing directed by Li Yu (Chinese mainland); Freesia (a.k.a. Freesia - Icy Tears) directed by Kumakiri Kazuyoshi (Japan) and The Drummer directed by Kenneth Bi (Hong Kong), whilst those nearing completion are Lee Kang-sheng’s Help Me Eros (a.k.a. Help Me), Chang Tso-chi's Butterfly and Lin Chin-je's The Longest Distance.

Several more projects are in the pre-production stage and ready to go into shoot later this year, they are: Hur Jung-ho's Hwa Jang, Liu Fen Dou's Part Ocean, Part Flame and Yu Lik Wai's Plastic City.

>> HAF 2007 Project Listing
>> Project Announcement Press Release

Click here to enjoy free admission of HAF guest registration by 31 Jan 2007.



FILMART is stepping into its 11th year with bigger and better attractions for our participants. We have achieved substantial growth over the past decade and are proud to present our biggest fair in years, with new elements and segments to fulfill all our delegates’ demands.

This year’s FILMART continues to expand the Equipment and Post-production Services Pavilion, and Animation and Digital Entertainment Pavilion, as well as introduces the much anticipated TV World and Locations World. We have not forgotten our popular mainstays such as industry screenings, premieres, seminars and networking events.

Join us and our registered exhibitors such as UNIFRANCE, Unijapan, KOFIC, CJ Entertainment, Lionsgate, the UK Film Council, China Film Promotion International, Media Asia, Emperor Motion Pictures, Mandarin Films, and many more at FILMART 2007.

As one of FILMART’s newest features, co-organised with the Film Services Office, Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Locations World will offer new vistas on filming locations – detailed information and insider tips into the best, newest destinations around the world for location shooting. Delegates

can also find out government incentives and other kinds of support even in the most far-flung locations such as South Africa, Russia, Cambodia, Jordan and the Bahamas. Our welcoming reception will also present an excellent opportunity for delegates to mingle with and get to know top producers and industry players.

For more information, please click here or contact Mr. Jimmy Huen.

The eagerly-anticipated Hong Kong Music Fair (HKMF) will return on March 21 – 23, 2007 for a second outing as a Core Event of the Hong Kong Entertainment Expo 2007. This unique Asian music platform expanded its programme to include sessions, not only for the trade, but also for the general public.

As value-added features, the leading regional music event will also include seminars and special events that will allow participants to network with top industry professionals from around the region and provide important information exchange. It will be an invaluable opportunity for participants to gain fresh insights and develop new business leads.

Don’t hesitate. Act now to take part in this important regional music fair, the only one of its kind in Asia. Register here:

For enquiries, please email: music@tdc.org.hk

A Hong Kong Cocktail Reception will be hosted at BERLINALE 2007 and details are as follows:

Date:	13 February 2007 (Tuesday)
Venue:	Kaisersaal, Hall Palmenhof, Bellevuestr. 1, 10785 Berlin
Time:	17:30-19:00

The above event is by invitation only. For more information, please contact Ms. Jade Cheung by 26 January 2007.

Please click here for the latest Hong Kong films.

For previous newsletters, please visit www.hkfilmart.com/filmart/newsletter.htm