March 5, 2024
As part of the program designed to foster Chinese-language genre projects, CAA China will award US$20,000 each to two projects to support their development, with customised guidance from mentors. By K Dass.
Hong Kong - The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society
(HKIFF Society) and CAA China have collaborated on an exciting initiative
called the HKIFF Industry-CAA China Genre Initiative (HCG). This joint program
aims to nurture Chinese-language genre projects.
It’s a platform that
will showcase five shortlisted genre projects to industry professionals during
the 28th Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) alongside the
22nd Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF22), scheduled from March 11 to
13, 2024.
As part of the
program, CAA China will provide a cash award of US$20,000 each to two
handpicked projects to support their development. These selected projects will
also receive customised guidance from mentors. Additionally, there’s a
possibility that CAA China may further collaborate with the winning projects
through script development agreements.
Jacob Wong, the
director of HKIFF Industry, believes that this collaboration with CAA China
will contribute to the growth and development of Chinese-language films,
especially in the edgy genre category. The partnership expands HKIFF Industry’s
strategic network in Asia.
Mary Gu, CEO of CAA
China, emphasises their commitment to nurturing relationships with emerging
filmmakers. They aim to support young filmmakers by integrating them into the
professional landscape while considering audience preferences and market trends.
CAA China,
established in 2017 by CMC Capital Partners and Hollywood talent agency giant
CAA, is a leading entertainment and sports agency in China. Their diverse
portfolio covers motion pictures, television, music, sports, and brand
partnerships.
Notable filmmakers
represented by CAA China include directors like Layla Ji, Li Fei, Li Xiaofeng,
and Zhang Mo, as well as writers like Chen Ji, Li Wei, and Zhou Yunhai.