8,000 Talents Join FILMART Online and EntertainmentPulse

Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), FILMART Online and the first edition of EntertainmentPulse both received an enthusiastic response. The four-day virtual events brought together around 8,000 industry talents from 81 countries and regions. 749 exhibitors showcased over 2,400 new film and TV productions at the event, the majority being feature films, TV dramas and animations. FILMART Online also arranged business matchings for exhibitors and potential buyers, promoting trade and collaboration within the industry. FILMART Online saw a total of 27 online events staged, including 14 seminar sessions held at EntertainmentPulse.

This year, FILMART Online welcomed exhibitors from more than 40 countries and regions, including Beijing, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Ningbo, Xiamen, Taiwan, the European Union, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Thailand, the United States and more. More than 260 exhibitors were from Mainland China. The largest number of companies were from Beijing, Zhejiang and Guangdong. The Guangdong Pavilion was organised by the Film Administration of Guangdong Province and the Radio and Television Administration of Guangdong Province. Not only have they gathered 40 outstanding production companies from across the province to participate, they also promoted the advantages of Guangdong as a shooting location.

Acting as a bridge connecting East and West, Hong Kong productions have shone internationally over the years, highlighting the uniqueness of the city's own culture, content creation and distribution. In a session titled "Rediscovering the 'Hong Kong Production", Hong Kong actor and film producer Gordon Lam shared his views on the city's film industry. "The strengths of Hong Kong film continue to develop with more diversified themes and new talents joining the industry, to meet the expectation of the increasingly demanding audience, I am confident that the old and new generations of filmmakers can come together to reinvigorate the local film industry."

The entertainment industry in Mainland China has seen robust growth in recent years. An abundance of quality films and TV dramas have been produced and distributed to international markets, winning over audiences with a diverse and sophisticated range of content. Karen Fu, CEO of Huace Group, unveiled the secrets behind the success of the mainland's entertainment industry. "We are constantly on the lookout for new subjects. Themes based on the reality of daily life are very well-received in international markets," she said.

In the seminar session titled "Experience and Innovation of the Chinese Film Industry", the discussion focused on the development and breakthroughs of film production in Mainland China in recent years, as well as the reform of cinema operators and the application of new technologies. Yu Dong, founder, Chairman and CEO of BONA Film Group, said: "In recent years, BONA Film has continued to focus on realistic social themes, keenly capturing some of the scenes and characters that have deeply touched our country."

Non-fungible token (NFT) marketplaces are bringing new digital experiences for creators and brands to interact with their communities through trading, unlocking and collecting memorabilia and exclusive content. Melody Hildebrandt, Chief Information Security Officer at FOX and President of Blockchain Creative Labs (BCL), explored how NFTs are becoming a New Medium for content creators, intellectual property owners and advertising partners to monetise content, facilitate content distribution and create engaging fan experiences. "Collectibles are not the endgame for NFTs at all - this is just the beginning. We will see how people use this sense of digital ownership as a foundation to activate communities and gain a much more hands-on participation in the content they love," Ms Hildebrandt said.

The online portals for FILMART Online and EntertainmentPulse will be open for access until 17 May. Users can revisit insightful content from EntertainmentPulse on demand at any time and utilise the business matching services offered through the FILMART Online platform.

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