Emerging opportunities for film co-production

Canadian filmmakers have been encouraged to explore the emerging opportunities in co-producing movies with Hong Kong to capitalise on the local talent and preferential treatment under the Hong Kong-Mainland free trade arrangement.

Speaking today (October 2) at a seminar presented by the 5th Calgary International Film Festival, the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Canada, Bassanio So, outlined the practical issues in the co-production of films, and the strength of Hong Kong as a film marketing and distribution centre.

Eight Hong Kong films are featured in this year's festival, which has become one of North America's most innovative showcases for Canadian and international movies.

Mr So said Hong Kong was proud to be a contributing partner.

"Apart from prominently featuring eight outstanding Hong Kong films among 300 international and Canadian productions, this year's festival also provides an excellent opportunity for us to examine how Canadian film and television producers can leverage on Hong Kong to access the growing markets of mainland China and the rest of Asia," he said.

Mr So said Hong Kong was one of the world's largest film exporters, with 92 local films released in Hong Kong in 2002 and 77 films last year.

The Federation of Hong Kong Film Workers expects the number of productions in 2004 to increase by 30-40%, with more than half being co-productions.

"Many foreign studios use Hong Kong as a production co-ordination base for the Greater China region, handling talent recruitment, scripting, financing and overall planning, as well as providing technical support, editing and dubbing services for overseas crews on location shooting in Hong Kong," Mr So said.

"The success stories such as 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' and the recent Hong Kong-China co-production 'Hero' have proved that Hong Kong has a pool of talented people in the film industry."

In 2003, there were over 1,200 film-related establishments in Hong Kong, employing some 6,000 people.

Mr So said trade liberalisation under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) had opened up new opportunities for the film industry.

CEPA offers preferential treatment in the Mainland for the distribution of audio-visual products from Hong Kong, construction and renovation of cinemas, distribution of TV programmes, and operation of cable television networks by Hong Kong companies.

Mr So invited representatives from Canada's film industry to take part in the Hong Kong International Film and TV market (FILMART), one of Asia's most important film industry events, in March.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York is sponsoring two film series, A Tribute to Shaw Brothers Studios and Recent Films from Hong Kong, at the 42nd New York Film Festival, which opened on October 1.

In welcoming guests to the opening night of the Shaw Brothers tribute, HKETO Director Sarah Wu said Hong Kong's film industry had a long and vivid history.

"Many of you are familiar with recent kung-fu movies such as 'Hero'. What you may not know is that these films traced their roots back to kung-fu movies produced by the Shaw Brothers Studios, which now define the martial-arts movie genre," she said.

Miss Wu said Hong Kong contemporary films were also making their mark on the international scene. As an example, she said, renowned American director Martin Scorsese was planning to remake 'Infernal Affairs' next year with Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon.

Ends/Sunday, October 3, 2004