HONG KONG: The 21st edition of the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART) commenced today for a four-day run at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This year’s FILMART welcomes more than 800 exhibitors from 35 countries and regions.
In addition to major film companies in Hong Kong, many overseas exhibitors have set up pavilions at FILMART to promote their local entertainment productions, including countries like United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, the European Union, Korea, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, and Vietnam. India’s presence has gone up to include seven exhibitors this year with more than 120 visitors registered from India to attend.
More than 330 exhibitors from 15 Belt and Road countries are also taking part in FILMART to tap global opportunities which include those from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Poland, Indonesia, Cambodia, Turkey and Mongolia.
Many Hong Kong film companies are returning to FILMART in this year’s edition, which include China 3D Digital Entertainment Ltd, Distribution Workshop, Edko Films, Emperor Entertainment Group, Media Asia, Mega-Vision Project Workshop Ltd, Mei Ah Entertainment Group, One Cool Pictures Ltd, Pegasus Entertainment and TVBI. Fantastic Television Limited. Digital Domain and Fox Networks Group are the first timers to promote their latest entertainment productions to global buyers.
This year, FILMART sees the participation of over 220 exhibitors from the Chinese mainland, the largest number in the event’s history. Many cities and provinces, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong and Hangzhou, are returning with regional pavilions, while governments of Ningbo and Fujian are joining the show for the first time.
Various seminars are being held here including for documentaries and a number of screenings of award-winning documentaries will be held during the event for participants to gain a deeper understanding of the genre.
Digital entertainment is another highlight of FILMART this year. The Hong Kong Animation & Digital Entertainment pavilion, sponsored by CreateHK, gathers more than 30 local digital entertainment companies featuring their services, including digital production and special effects, post production, mobile apps, smartphone games and multimedia design, such as 360-degree photography and virtual reality (VR) and two seminars related to digital production and special effects will be held
Along with the three founding events the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART), the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) and the Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony (HKFA)the HKA Filmart includes : the Hong Kong–Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), the Hong Kong Asian-Pop Music Festival (HKAMF), the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award, ifva (Incubator for Film & Visual Media in Asia Festival), the Asian VFX and Digital Cinema Summit, the Digital Entertainment Summit and TV World International Forum.