Photo: HAF
The 11th Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) is proudly presented by E-Max Cineplex and announced its winners on March 20 for the culmination of a three-day event connecting filmmakers with financiers, distributors, and producers at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Award recipients include winners for the HAF Awards, HAF Script Development Fund Award, the 2nd annual HAF/Fox Chinese Film Development Award, the Technicolor Asia Award, the Paris Project Award, the Wouter Barendrecht Award, the Network of Asian Fantastic Films Award and two new awards this year, the ARRI Awards and the Catapooolt Awards.
HAF Awards were selected from 25 project finalists, chosen from more than 250 worldwide submissions. The selection comprised 22 features and three documentaries, with five quality Hong Kong-based projects in the running. The Awards Ceremony was held at VIEW 62 by Paco Roncero at the iconic Hopewell Centre in Hong Kong and attended by filmmakers, HAF alumni and many renowned guests including Mr. Wilfred WONG, Chairman, Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, Mr. Jerry LIU Wing-leung, Head of Create Hong Kong of the Hong Kong SAR Government, Mr. Dong YU, Chairman of Bona Film Group, and Mr. Thomas Jefferson WU, Managing Director of Hopewell Holdings Limited.
“HAF was designed to be a platform for the incredible creative talent around Asia to come together and meet with various financiers, producers, investors, distributors and buyers with the aim of bringing film projects from the drawing-board to the big screen,” said Mr. Wilfred WONG. “This forum exists to support co-production ventures and to secure financial support for Asian cinema. HAF is in the business of financing films and of making great ideas come to life.”
Mr. WONG also noted that while HAF attracted a majority of projects from Asia, “it is clear that other regions, like the UK and the Middle East, are proving to be of great interest to our attendees. It demonstrates that HAF not only promotes Chinese-language cinema and film from the Asian region, but has also become a truly international platform. We are in the right place at the right time as international film industries look increasingly to the Asian market for growth opportunities.”
The HAF Awards, the cornerstone awards of the event, went to Doomsday•Party (Hong Kong) by HO Hong for a project originating in Hong Kong, and Barber’s Tales (The Philippines) by Jun Robles LANA for a project originating outside of Hong Kong. Both films were awarded cash prizes of HK$150,000 each (approximately US$19,350).
In its 2nd year, the HAF/Fox Chinese Film Development Award, sponsored by Fox International Productions (Fox) in support of the development of Chinese-language cinema, proved to be a real challenge for the Fox judging panel. The panel members, Fruit CHAN, Rachel CHEN and Dong YU, all agreed the 5 final pieces of work from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore were of diverse creative background and exceptionally high quality. As a result, the panel decided to award 2 winners for the Award and each will receive HK$100,000 (approximately US$12,900), a Development Contract and a First Look Agreement with Fox. The Flying Postman (Singapore/Hong Kong/China) and Underground River (China) took home the awards.
The 11th HAF marks the third round of the HAF Script Development Fund Award, presented and sponsored by Bona Film Group and The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, designed to encourage exceptional Chinese-language screenplays in the region with a HK$100,000 (approximately US$12,900) cash prize. A Happy Wish took home the Award. Dong YU, Chairman of Bona Film Group said, “Script Development Fund aims to encourage Asia filmmakers, especially the creation of Chinese screenplay. This year, the HAF received 100 Chinese-language screenplay projects, the quality is encouraging. The script is one of the key success factors in movie, thus a good script is the soul of the movie. I look forward to seeing the completion of these projects.”
This year, HAF has added two new awards to the list of coveted accolades, which are ARRI Awards and Catapooolt Awards. ARRI ASIA, world-class motion picture equipment manufacturer, presented in-kind awards valued at Euro 30,000 (approx. HK$306,000), to the respective winners of HAF Awards for ARRI equipment rental. Catapooolt, the official crowdfunding platform for HAF 2013, presented three Seed Funding Awards amounting to US$3,000 (approx. HK$23,200) to three HAF projects and complimentary listing on Catapooolt’s official website.
“My deepest appreciation goes out to all participating filmmakers, funders, partners and sponsors for their support, and to the dedication of HAF staff and volunteers that have made the 11th HAF a success and continued its legacy as Asia’s most anticipated film-financing platform,” said Roger GARCIA, Executive Director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, organiser of HAF. “We are proud of our work bridging the gap between talented filmmakers and producers and film financiers who want to bring these great projects to life.”
Complete List of Award Winners
The HAF Awards went to Doomsday•Party (Hong Kong) by HO Hong for a project originating in Hong Kong, and Barber’s Tales (The Philippines) by Jun Robles LANA for a project originating outside of Hong Kong. Both films were awarded cash prizes of HK$150,000 each (approx. US$19,350).
ARRI Awards, two in-kind awards valued at Eur 15,000 (approx. HK$153,000) each for renting ARRI equipment, presented by world-class motion picture equipment manufacturer ARRI ASIA, are given to the respective winners of HAF Awards.
The Technicolor Asia Award was received by Barber’s Tales (The Philippines) by Jun Robles LANA. The film was awarded an in-kind prize worth US$25,000 (approx. HK$193,750) by Technicolor Asia, Bangkok.
HAF/Fox Chinese Film Development Award, presented by Fox International Productions (Greater China) Ltd. (Fox), is given to Underground River (China) and The Flying Postman (Singapore/ Hong Kong/ China). The winning projects will each receive a cash prize of HK$100,000 (approx. US$12,900) and a Development Contract with Fox.
The HAF Script Development Fund Award, presented and sponsored by Bona Film Group and The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited, was awarded to A Happy Wish (Taiwan) by Jack SHIH, with a cash prize of HK$100,000 (approx. US$12,900). This fund is designed to motivate exceptional Chinese-language screenplays in the region.
The Paris Project Award, an in-kind award of Eur 5,000 (approx. HK$51,000) presented by Paris Cinéma International Film Festival, was given by Vanja KALUDJERCIC to Departure (China), which includes an invitation to the Paris Project 2013 at the Paris Cinema International Film Festival.
Wouter Barendrecht Award, presented by the Wouter Barendrecht Film Foundation, Create Hong Kong and Hong Kong Film Development Fund, is given to All About You (Japan) directed by JANG Kunjae and produced by KAWASE Naomi. The winner was awarded a cash prize of HK$50,000 (approx. US$6,450).
Catapooolt Awards, presented by Catapooolt, gives out three Seed Funding Awards with total value of US$3,000 (approx. HK$23,200) and complimentary listing on Catapooolt’s official website. The US$1,500 seed funding award goes to The Last Wedding on Earth (Indonesia) directed by Joko ANWAR and produced by Tia HASIBUAN and Uwie BALFAS. The US$1,000 seed funding award goes to Barber’s Tales (The Philippines) directed by Jun Robles LANA and produced by Ferdinand LAPUZ, Perci INTALAN and Tonee ACEJO. The US$500 seed funding award goes to One Thousand (The Philippines) directed by Lawrence FAJARDO and produced by Krisma FAJARDO.
The Network of Asian Fantastic Films Award went to When I Come to Me (Hong Kong) by LAM Suk-ching. The winning project received an in-kind award of US$2,700 (approx. HK$20,900), and an invitation to participate in the Network of Asian Fantastic Films 2013 at the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival.
For more details on this year’s 25 HAF projects and five HAF/Fox Chinese Film Development Award finalists, please visit www.haf.org.hk.
High resolution pictures can be downloaded from the link below:
ftp://203.186.109.50/
Username HAF_01
Password HAF_01
About the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF)
The Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) is widely recognised as the most important film-financing platform in Asia. The HAF brings Asian filmmakers with upcoming film projects to Hong Kong for co-production ventures with top film financiers, producers, investors, distributors and buyers. Attracting over 1,000 filmmakers and funders from at least 35 countries and regions, 25 - 30 projects are selected annually to participate in the three-day event.
Past participants include China's JIA Jiangke, JIANG Wen and NING Hao; Hong Kong's Peter CHAN, Stanley KWAN, Ann HUI, Fruit CHAN and PANG Ho-cheung; Taiwan's TSAI Ming-Liang, WEI Te-Sheng and Leon DAI; Japan's KORE-EDA Hirokazu, KUROSAWA Kiyoshi and IWAI Shunji; South Korea's PARK Chan-wook, KIM Jee-woon, BONG Joon-ho and IM Sang-soo; as well as Thailand's Ekachai UEKRONGTHAM, Nonzee NIMIBUTR and Pen-ek RATANARUANG.
About The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited (HKIFFS)
Uniting the World through Film
The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited (HKIFFS) is a charitable, non-profit and non-governmental organisation dedicated to the discovery and promotion of creativity in the art and culture of film.
Through its year-round programmes, the mission of the Society is to strengthen global appreciation of Chinese film culture and to promote inspiring films from around the world, enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong.
Committed to the development of a vibrant film culture in Hong Kong and Asia, the Society organises three annual flagship events in March and April: the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) and the Asian Film Awards (AFA).
Passionately believing in the power of films to unite cultures and generations, the HKIFFS is devoted to giving thousands of film lovers around the region direct access to the world’s most inspired films all year round.
About 20th Century Fox Film
One of the world’s largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, 20th Century Fox Film produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of 20th Century Fox Film: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Fox International Productions, Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Blue Sky Studios.
About E-Max Cineplex
E-Max Cineplex is Hong Kong’s new All-in-one movie, premiere and award presentation venue offering 9 houses and 5 theatres with over 6,000 seats. Located in KITEC, which is at the heart of Kowloon Bay, Hong Kong’s next CBD, a rising commercial hub with 15 million sq. ft. office and commercial space. The new E-Max Cineplex offers spectacular experiences on movies, premieres, film festivals, award presentations and exhibitions. With enhanced 3D effects and state-of-the-art sound systems, the new E-Max Cineplex will widen your horizon towards the world of movies in 2014!