Review of Hong Kong Entertainment Expo 2013, China
Entertainment Expo comprises a series of events, including the HKTDC Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART), Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA), Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), ifva Festival, and the Digital Entertainment Summit.
The 9th edition of Entertainment Expo Hong Kong opens 18 March and continues to 13 April. This year’s Expo features nine events covering a global mix of film, TV, music and digital entertainment.
Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) is Asia’s leading content marketplace for films, television programmes, and digital content for entertainment. Internationally renowned producers, distributors, investors and professionals use FILMART to launch promotions, network with key industry players and negotiate deals.
Entertainment Expo features nine multimedia events, including the 17th edition of the Hong Kong International Film and Television Market (FILMART). Along with film, the expo covers television, digital entertainment and music.
Along with FILMART, Entertainment Expo features: the Hong Kong International Film Festival, 17 March to 2 April; the Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony, 13 April; the sixth Asian Film Awards, 18 March; the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum, 18-20 March; the Hong Kong Asian Pop Music Festival, 22 March; the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award, which was held 26 February; ifva (Incubator for Film & Visual Media in Asia), 8-21 March; and the sixth Asian VFX and Digital Cinema Summit, 19 March.
Two expo founding events focus on film: the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) and the Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony. The expo will also include the seventh Asian Film Awards, as well as the Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the Asian VFX and Digital Cinema Summit, ifva, the Hong Kong Asian Pop Music Festival (HKAMF) and the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award.
Entertainment Expo launch “Enjoy Great Movies, Enjoy Special Offers” again this year. Local cinemas and more than 400 merchant outlets will participate in the campaign, providing multiple offers to movie lovers. The promotion is supported by the Hong Kong Theatres Association Ltd and the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants & Related Trades.
Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART)
FILMART is one of the founding events of Entertainment Expo Hong Kong. The Entertainment Expo umbrella includes 10 events covering film, TV, digital entertainment and music. Multiple Hong Kong film companies join FILMART to promote their latest entertainment productions to global buyers.
FILMART is now recognised as one of the world’s foremost film and TV marketplaces, promoting cross-media and cross-sector collaborations and facilitating film financing, distribution, production and post-production. Many overseas exhibitors have set up pavilions at FILMART to promote their local entertainment productions, taking part in FILMART to tap global opportunities.
FILMART has long been an important platform for the local entertainment industry to release new productions and announce new development strategies. The Chinese mainland’s entertainment industry is developing fast and garnering more international attention. The enormous size and potential of the Chinese mainland’s film market is captured at FILMART, with mainland exhibitors comprising the largest country of origin participation at the fair. A number of mainland provinces and cities have set up regional pavilions.
Promoting digital entertainment is a major feature of FILMART. Sponsored by CreateHK, the Hong Kong Animation & Digital Entertainment pavilion has gathered more than 30 local digital entertainment companies to showcase their latest services, including 2D/3D animation, digital special effects, mobile apps, smartphone games and multimedia designs.
In addition to the exhibition, other attractions of FILMART include networking activities, seminars, and screenings. Promoting digital entertainment is a major feature of FILMART. Sponsored by CreateHK, the Hong Kong Animation & Digital Entertainment pavilion has gathered more than 30 local digital entertainment companies to showcase their latest services, including 2D/3D animation, digital special effects, mobile apps, smartphone games and multimedia designs.
FILMART’s TV World turns seven this year, welcoming more than 240 exhibitors from all over the world, up about 20 per cent over last year’s participation. The theme of TV World’s International Forum is TV Programming and the New Media, spotlighting the value of new media to engage audiences. A series of FILMART thematic conferences also take place, including a look at book-to-screen productions.
This year’s FILMART, 18-21 March, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), welcome nearly 700 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions. For the first time, the event, organised by the HKTDC, include exhibitor pavilions from Canada’s British Columbia, the British Columbia Film + Media, and Italy, organised by the Italian Trade Commission.
FILMART 2013 welcomes 710 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions, up 10 per cent over last year’s exhibitor count. More than 6,000 buyers from all over the world are expected to take in the four-day event. Asia’s major entertainment industry market, and one of the top three events of its kind in the world, FILMART continues through 21 March at the HKCEC.
For the first time, FILMART includes exhibitor pavilions from Italy, organised by the Italian Trade Commission, and from Canada. Other key pavilions are: UNIFRANCE and IIe de France; UK Film; KOFIC and KOCCA from Korea; UNIJAPAN, Okinawa Film Office, Hokkaido Contents Distribution and JETRO from Japan; the Independent Film and TV Alliance from the United States; and China Film Promotion Inc from the Chinese mainland.
More than 140 exhibitors from the Chinese mainland are taking part and, for the first time, the Qatar-based Al Jazeera Media Network is a FILMART exhibitor. Several other countries and region are also hosting pavilions: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Chinese Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Israel and Mexico.
Highlights of the HKIFF, 17 March to 2 April, include the screening of eight movies from this year’s Berlin Film Festival, including Danis Tanović’s An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, which won the Grand Jury Prize, and Malgoska Szumowska’s In the Name of, which took the Teddy Award for Best Feature. The HKIFF also present two Academy Award nominees for Best Foreign Language Film, Pablo Larrain’s No and Kim Nguyen’s War Witch.
FILMART’s TV World, Animation & Digital Entertainment World, and Equipment & Post-Production Services allow industry professionals to tap into all aspects of the international entertainment market. TV World’s exhibitor total of more than 250 is up some 30 per cent over last year. The theme of TV World’s International Forum, 19 March, is TV programming and the new media, spotlighting the value of new media in engaging audiences.
Other key pavilions include: UNIFRANCE and IIe de France; UK Film; KOFIC and KOCCA from Korea; UNIJAPAN, Okinawa Film Office, Hokkaido Contents Distribution and JETRO from Japan; the Independent Film and TV Alliance from the United States; and China Film Promotion Inc from the Chinese mainland.
More than 350 screenings was take place at FILMART, including over 80 world and international premieres. In addition, the ACE Co-production Lab Hong Kong returns, featuring co-production case studies between the European Union and mainland companies. ACE is organised by the ACE-European Producer Network (Ateliers du Cinéma Européen), with the support of the HKTDC, HAF and Media International (European Union).
The ACE Co-production Lab Hong Kong was held at FILMART for the third time, with a group of Asian and European producers participating in the project-based workshop. ACE is organised by the ACE-European Producer Network (Ateliers du Cinéma Européen), with the support of the HKTDC, HAF and Media International (European Union).
Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony
The 32nd Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony takes place, 13 April, at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. Organised by the Hong Kong Film Awards Association, it recognises achievement in directing, screenwriting, acting and cinematography in Hong Kong film. Regional filmmakers was honoured, 18 March, at the Asian Film Awards. Celebrated filmmakers and actors will hand out prizes at the gala event. Independent Asian film and visual media was featured, 8-21 March, at ifva. The event, organised by the Hong Kong Arts Centre, will take place at the Hong Kong Arts Centre and other city venues.
Hong Kong Asian Pop Music Festival
The HKAMF takes place at the HKCEC on 22 March. Organised by the IFPI (Hong Kong Group) Ltd and supported by the HKTDC, the event will feature performances of top recording artists from across Asia and a song contest for the Super Nova Award. The IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award, which takes place this evening, will honour the outstanding performances of local and international artists and producers in Hong Kong.
Forums
FILMART featured a series of conferences examining Chinese-language films, book-to-screen projects, Asian film industry opportunities and mobile and social games.
At HAF, Asia’s most important film-financing event, 18-20 March, Asian film projects was matched with top producers, financiers and distributors for co-productions. Some 25 film projects from 16 countries and regions have been selected this year.
The 6th Asian VFX and Digital Cinema Summit, organised by the Association of Motion Picture Post-production Professionals, feature speakers from all over Asia sharing their experience in digital post-production. The event feature the latest visual effects achievements in Hong Kong. Select digital 3D stereo screenings will also take place.
HKTDC
Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong’s businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room.