The 23rd Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), organized by Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), is set to kick off at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 18-21, 2019. After relentless efforts and years of experience accumulation, FILMART has become the largest film and TV exhibition in Asia, the annual event of the international film and TV entertainment industry and one of the world’s most important film trading markets. FILMART attracts internationally renowned producers, distributors, investors and representatives of the industry. Through this platform, the participants launch publicity campaigns, network with key industry players and negotiate deals. By capitalizing on the advantageous platform of the FILMART, Chinese film & TV industry and culture showcase and exchange with overseas market and go to the global market from here.
FILMART 2019 Unveiled Soon
FILMART 2018 was held successfully and achieved another success. The industrial elites from all over the world gathered in Hong Kong. 854 exhibitors from 37 countries and regions attended the exhibition, including a total number of 36 group pavilions from 18 countries and regions. Also, Chinese domestic exhibitors hit a record to 260 exhibitors. In this four-day event, over 8,700 visitors from 52 countries and regions attended the market, increased by 9% compared to the last session. This exhibition also saw a substantial growth in number of visitors from Asian countries and regions, including trade visitors from Chinese mainland, India, Korea and Singapore.
The 23rd edition of FILMART will be held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 18-21, 2019. The Kick-Off Ceremony of EEHK will be held on 18 Mar 2019 at FILMART. There are altogether 8 events this year, which includes Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART),Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF),Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony (HKFA),Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF),Hong Kong Asian-Pop Music Festival (HKAMF),ifva (Incubator for Film & Visual Media in Asia Festival),Digital Entertainment Summit, and TV World International Forum.
With a strong international flair and focus, FILMART2019 will welcome a representation of 35 countries and regions, including emerging markets such as Malta, Colombia, Mongolia, Poland and Ukraine in addition to the world’s leading markets such as Europe, France, UK, China Taiwan, Japan, Korea and the U.S., the number of exhibitors attended had exceeded 850, expecting more than 9,000 visitors from over 70 countries and regions. Visitors from emerging markets such as Angola, Bangladesh, French Polynesia and Jordan have registered to FILMART for the first time. An increasing number of buyers from OTT platforms are expected.
“Doc World” was launched in 2018 to highlight the presence of documentary in FILMART. Independent production companies from US, Mainland China, Germany and Finland will showcase their latest productions in Doc World. Together with exhibitors with documentary-related business, over 220 exhibitors from 28 countries and regions. Global Filming Support zone will continue in 2018 to provide location services to the visitors. Over 10 exhibitors from 8 countries will be there to showcase their unique spots and exclusive incentives and offers, including but not limited to tax rebate, insurance, allowance and talent support. Over 350 exhibitors from 31 countries and regions participate in TV World. The conference will welcome over 130 TV stations from all around the world.
Major film and TV industry players in Hong Kong continue to show their keen support for FILMART as the prime trading platform. All three free TV stations in Hong Kong, TVB, ViuTV, Open TV, are exhibiting at FILMART. Other big names include Emperor Motion Pictures, Media Asia Distribution, Mega-Vision Project Workshop, Mei Ah Entertainment, One Cool Film Production, PCCW Media Limited, Mandarin Pictures, Salon Films, Sil-Metropole Organisation, Sun Entertainment and Universe Films Distribution, Er Dong, Golden Sun, Golden Scene, Edko Films Limited, and TVBI.
A growing presence of new medias is observed. FILMART 2019 will welcome new participating OTT platforms, including Huawei from Mainland China, HBO Asia from Singapore, OONA from Indonesia, Viki from US, Cignal TV from the Philippines. Seminars covering on development of new medias will also be staged. This year’s conference also welcome growing number of animation companies, under the 4 pavilions (of which 3 are new pavilions from Korea and Jiangsu, China) at FILMART. The Hong Kong Animation & Digital Entertainment Pavilion will also feature a record-high of 40 animation studios this year. The Greater Bay Initiatives also present vast opportunities to the entertainment industries. Key players from the Greater Bay Area will continue to participate at the show, 2 thematic seminars would also be staged to talk about the opportunities presented to the TV and music sectors.
Also there are 12 thematic conferences, over 50 international industry veterans as speakers and over 50 special events, and over 100 world/ international/Asian premieres (over 300 screenings) during FILMART 2019. A debut series titled “Insights with Industry Leaders”, featuring top leaders from media giants, will be launched. Speakers include, Gong Yu, Founder and CEO, iQIYI, Jonathan Spink, Chief Executive Officer, HBO Asia, Jim Packer, President of Worldwide TV and Digital Distribution, Lionsgate, Sean Park, Marketing Director, YouTube International Markets. Other seminars covering various tracks would be staged as well, such as Innovation & Tech: Blockchain + VR/AR, Content: Documentaries + OTT platforms, Markets: Greater Bay Area+ Sino-foreign alliance on animation. A dedicated sharing session is arranged during the Conference on Day 4 for renowned Hong Kong filmmakers to share their experience in the film industry. The panel speakers are Hong Kong Director Sunny Chan, Pang Ho Cheung, and Derek Tsang.
Over 45 special events including thematic conferences, networking cocktails, press conferences, film premieres and award presentations are expected to be organized during the 4-day fair period. Key players include Emperor Motion Pictures, TVB, Sun Entertainment, Universe Films and etc. The 17th HAF Awards Presentation Ceremony and the 6th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) Awards Presentation Ceremony would continue to be held in FILMART to promote and highlight the productions of new talents of the movie industry. And over 300 screenings are expected too. There will be 100 premieres, including 31 World Premieres, 29 International Premieres and 40 Asian Premieres. The Market Screenings will take place in screening venues in HKCEC and The CINEMA in the Hong Kong Arts Centre for 3D films. An Online Catch-Up Screening service will be introduced to allow exhibitors to stream their content for two months.
Mainland Film & TV Enterprises Benefited a Great Deal from FILMART
Hong Kong has always been an important bridge between the mainland film and television industry and the global market. FILMART, by its unique advantages, has become an important event for the mainland entertainment industry.
More than 260 exhibitors from Chinese Mainland attended FILMART 2019. The new pavilions from Mainland China include Jiangsu, Xiamen, Shanghai, and HengDian of Zhejiang. Big names from Mainland China include China International TV Corporation, iQIYI Motion Pictures, Huace Media, Huawei, Huayi Brothers, Tencent. Mainland exhibitors show their strength through the exchange platform of the exhibition, have face-to-face communication with international buyers, and also the exhibition enables the industry elites from worldwide to get a close contact with the development of the mainland industry and grasp the business opportunities to enter the huge market of Mainland China. The exhibition also invites leading figures in the mainland television industry, including broadcasting and production companies, streaming platforms and big data research companies, and set up special forums to analyze the prospects, challenges and changes of the mainland market.
As the largest film & TV exhibition in Asia, the FILMART focuses on creating a trade platform for international film & TV and bridge the industry cooperation and communication between the East and West. After several years of development, FILMART has developed into a cross-media, cross-industrial trade platform for film, TV & entertainment, constantly raised their professional and international standards, promoted the industry integration and development, and highly praised by the international industry.
Hong Kong–Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), concurrently held with FILMART, served as a match-making platform for the film industry, helping commercially viable and promising film projects in Hong Kong and Asia locate financial and business support through co-productions or joint ventures. As a leading film-financing hub in Asia, the HAF arranged over 900 private business meetings during FILMART 2018, with the participation of 1,000 film investors, filmmakers, buyers, distributors, film fund and production company representatives. This year’s HAF has short-listed 23 projects for presentation at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 18 to 20 March 2019.