Liz Shackleton

This year's Filmart was definitely bigger and busier than last year, which was the first physical edition following the reopening of Hong Kong and mainland China's borders after the pandemic. According to Filmart organizers, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), more than 750 exhibitors and…

Hong Kong Film Development Council (HKFDC) has announced the first ten projects to receive grants under its Content Development Scheme for Streaming Platforms. The ten projects, which will now enter phase two of the scheme, include series to be directed and/or produced by leading Hong Kong filmmakers…

Yin Chen-Hao's Call Of Lobster and Gao Linyang's Dying Fire were presented with the inaugural HCG Awards, a joint initiative of HKIFF Industry and CAA China, as the Hong Kong projects market wrapped with 21 cash and in-kind prizes worth more than US$223,000. The objective of HCG [HKIFF Industry – CAA…

The fact that both Asia and Europe are finding it more difficult to finance movies following the pandemic may drive the two regions to start working together more closely, despite the huge differences in their funding systems, said a group of leading producers on a two-session Filmart panel. In the…

EXCLUSIVE: US-based Filipino filmmaker Isabel Sandoval is returning to the Philippines to shoot her fourth feature, Moonglow, starring Arjo Atayde (Trigger, BuyBust). Sandoval, who is known for her award-winning 2019 feature Lingua Franca and directing series in the U.S., is scheduled to start…

EXCLUSIVE: ANIMA, the Filipino studio behind Venice winner On The Job 2: The Missing 8 and Sundance winner Leonor Will Never Die, is joining with Project 8 Projects to co-produce Antoinette Jadaone's teenage pregnancy drama Sunshine. Maris Racal stars in the film, marking her third collaboration with…

Chinese tech and media giant Alibaba is investing $640M (HK$5BN) into Hong Kong's creative industries over the next five years. The funding will come via multiple divisions in Alibaba's Digital Media and Entertainment Group, including Alibaba Pictures and streaming platform Youku. The plan…

After stints heading local-language production at Disney APAC and HBO Asia, Hong Kong-based Jessica Kam-Engle is now heading CreAsia Studio, a new Banijay Asia venture in Southeast Asia, in the role of EVP & Business Head. Sitting down with Deadline in Hong Kong in the run-up to Filmart, Kam-Engle…

Veteran producers Cora Yim and Benjamin Lin are launching a production company, S11 Partners, with an equity investment from Hong Kong-listed Medialink Group. Based in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the new outfit aims to develop, finance, produce and distribute original and market-driven Chinese-language…

As Filmart gets underway, Hong Kong's major production companies, including Edko Films, Emperor Motion Pictures (EMP), Media Asia, One Cool Group and Universe Entertainment, will be unveiling their new titles in enormous booths at the front of the trade show floor, some of which will be as elaborate as…

EXCLUSIVE: Vietnamese distributor and producer Mockingbird Pictures is making its debut as an international sales agent at Filmart with a slate of local horror, comedies and action films, headed by record-breaking horror hit Crimson Snout (Quy Cau). Produced by 89s Group, the film is currently the…

This year's Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF, March 28-April 8) will open with the Asian premiere of All Shall Be Well, directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Ray Yeung, which recently won the Teddy Award at Berlin film festival. Starring Patra Au and Maggie Li, the film tells the story of an…