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 first session, the heads of major European funds including France’s Cnc, the Austrian Film Institute and Berlin Brandenburg Film Commission explained Europe’s complex web of subsidy funding, while Gary Mak, Secretary General of the Hong Kong Film Development Council (Hkfdc) introduced Hong Kong’s new co-production funding scheme.
Called the ‘Hong Kong-Europe-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme’ the new programme offers grants of up to $1.15M (Hk$9M) to feature film projects that combine Hong Kong and other Asian and/or European talent. The projects don’t have to shoot in Hong Kong or be filmed in one of the city’s official languages,...
In the first session, the heads of major European funds including France’s Cnc, the Austrian Film Institute and Berlin Brandenburg Film Commission explained Europe’s complex web of subsidy funding, while Gary Mak, Secretary General of the Hong Kong Film Development Council (Hkfdc) introduced Hong Kong’s new co-production funding scheme.
Called the ‘Hong Kong-Europe-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme’ the new programme offers grants of up to $1.15M (Hk$9M) to feature film projects that combine Hong Kong and other Asian and/or European talent. The projects don’t have to shoot in Hong Kong or be filmed in one of the city’s official languages,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Almost two years since “Parasite” won a handful of Oscars, the impact of Covid has meant that the Korean theatrical sector has been largely unable to capitalize on the trickle-down effect of those wins.
Its current malaise stands in contrast to the pandemic windfalls enjoyed by other parts of the Korean entertainment biz — think BTS, Blackpink, “Squid Game” and the latest streaming phenomenon “All of Us Are Dead.”
The current year potentially holds great things for Korean film, with nearly all of the country’s top-name directors having completed works, but the prospect remains tantalizingly out of reach.
And the longer the hard times continue, the less likely a return to the old normal becomes. That is especially true in a market like Korea, where theatrical revenues typically account for the majority of a feature movie’s anticipated revenues.
Korean movie theaters attempted a return to normal in the fourth...
Its current malaise stands in contrast to the pandemic windfalls enjoyed by other parts of the Korean entertainment biz — think BTS, Blackpink, “Squid Game” and the latest streaming phenomenon “All of Us Are Dead.”
The current year potentially holds great things for Korean film, with nearly all of the country’s top-name directors having completed works, but the prospect remains tantalizingly out of reach.
And the longer the hard times continue, the less likely a return to the old normal becomes. That is especially true in a market like Korea, where theatrical revenues typically account for the majority of a feature movie’s anticipated revenues.
Korean movie theaters attempted a return to normal in the fourth...
- 2/11/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Top South Korean actor Lee Jung-jae is thoroughly enjoying the extra burnish to his already distinguished career that has come from the global success of “Squid Game,” Netflix’s hit survival game TV series. However, he says that the phone is not ringing off the hook with new offers from Hollywood.
“No proposals or requests have come my way,” he told Variety. “But, if the right one came along, I’d be happy to be in an overseas production. It could be fun.”
Lee plays Gi-hun, a penniless wastrel who gambles too much, steals from his family, gets beaten up by loan sharks and accepts a mysterious invitation to become contender #456 in the deadly competition. His affability and carefully crafted backstory make him an easy-to-like protagonist who faces an evil organization that its literally playing with people’s lives.
It was a role that Lee accepted with relish after a more than two-decade career,...
“No proposals or requests have come my way,” he told Variety. “But, if the right one came along, I’d be happy to be in an overseas production. It could be fun.”
Lee plays Gi-hun, a penniless wastrel who gambles too much, steals from his family, gets beaten up by loan sharks and accepts a mysterious invitation to become contender #456 in the deadly competition. His affability and carefully crafted backstory make him an easy-to-like protagonist who faces an evil organization that its literally playing with people’s lives.
It was a role that Lee accepted with relish after a more than two-decade career,...
- 10/11/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
HighballTV, the Canada-based subscription streaming platform that focuses on curated film collections from leading filmmakers and top titles from major film festivals, has unveiled its 2021-2022 slate of original productions. All of the films are directed by women directors and/or people of color, and every writing team is led by a woman or person of color.
Its 2021-2022 slate comprises three new projects, backed with a combined investment of $12 million. The films are Andre Rehal’s drama “Strangers in a Room,” Melissa D’Agostino’s dark musical comedy “Mother of All Shows,” and the mystery-drama “Paige Darcy: Former Teen Detective,” written by Alice Moran.
“Strangers in a Room,” Rehal’s feature directorial debut, follows a veteran actor in a slump who comes face to face with the idea that his dream is dead, following a micro-aggression steeped in industry politics. The cast includes Jonathan Kim (HBO Max’s upcoming series...
Its 2021-2022 slate comprises three new projects, backed with a combined investment of $12 million. The films are Andre Rehal’s drama “Strangers in a Room,” Melissa D’Agostino’s dark musical comedy “Mother of All Shows,” and the mystery-drama “Paige Darcy: Former Teen Detective,” written by Alice Moran.
“Strangers in a Room,” Rehal’s feature directorial debut, follows a veteran actor in a slump who comes face to face with the idea that his dream is dead, following a micro-aggression steeped in industry politics. The cast includes Jonathan Kim (HBO Max’s upcoming series...
- 8/26/2021
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
The end came quietly with the humdrum announcement of a deal between two state-owned TV groups, China Central Television (CCTV) and South Korean public broadcaster Kbs. The pronouncement of “cooperation in various aspects of the cultural industry by using the strengths of both in online video,” could scarcely have been more banal.
But China watchers were quick to seize on the hope that the claimed “strategic partnership” meant a thaw in the frosty relationship between Asian neighbors that had completely iced up bilateral Chinese-Korean business dealings in entertainment.
The underlying problems were high-level and political and had nothing to do with the two countries’ film, TV or music industries, which were all seemingly getting along fine. Instead, the inter-governmental spat centered on China’s objections to South Korea agreeing to allow the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system Thaad on its soil. South Korea said it needed the...
But China watchers were quick to seize on the hope that the claimed “strategic partnership” meant a thaw in the frosty relationship between Asian neighbors that had completely iced up bilateral Chinese-Korean business dealings in entertainment.
The underlying problems were high-level and political and had nothing to do with the two countries’ film, TV or music industries, which were all seemingly getting along fine. Instead, the inter-governmental spat centered on China’s objections to South Korea agreeing to allow the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system Thaad on its soil. South Korea said it needed the...
- 3/3/2021
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
The 24th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival has announced the 30 official selections from 21 countries for this year’s Naff project market. The selections consist of 19 projects for the It Project (including one Korean-Vietnamese co-production) and 11 projects for Project Spotlight Korea. A total of 181 projects from 40 countries were submitted for consideration this year. Selected projects are listed in the table below.
Projects from South Korea and other parts of Asia captured the philosophy that lies deep within the framework of genre films by exploring a variety of topics, such as tradition and political/social conflict, gender identity, and class distinction. (Project Spotlight highlights projects from one Asian country each year; this year’s spotlight will be on South Korea.)
The judges for this year included Kini S. Kim, Kim Young, Jonathan Kim (CEO of Hanmac Culture Group), and Joyce Heeyoung Cho.
The 30 official selections will be candidates for the Naff awards,...
Projects from South Korea and other parts of Asia captured the philosophy that lies deep within the framework of genre films by exploring a variety of topics, such as tradition and political/social conflict, gender identity, and class distinction. (Project Spotlight highlights projects from one Asian country each year; this year’s spotlight will be on South Korea.)
The judges for this year included Kini S. Kim, Kim Young, Jonathan Kim (CEO of Hanmac Culture Group), and Joyce Heeyoung Cho.
The 30 official selections will be candidates for the Naff awards,...
- 5/27/2020
- by Adriana Rosati
- AsianMoviePulse
After weeks of awards campaigning and hundreds of interviews, “Parasite” began Sunday as a successful and well-appreciated movie. Yet its Academy Awards wins for best picture and for Bong Joon Ho as best director were shocks that thrilled the Asian movie industry.
“I’m so happy for all the Asian Film industry. It has now created bigger dreams for Asian filmmakers,” said Korean producer Jonathan Kim. “Now I have a different view on Hollywood. Even Hollywood is becoming more open minded.”
“Game changer!!! So happy for all of us. The Asians have finally arrived in Hollywood!” said Andrew Ooi, president of Echelon Talent Management, a Vancouver-based management firm with a predominantly Asian clientele.
Park Chan Wook, one of South Korea’s top filmmakers and a producer of Bong’s “Snowpiercer,” said in an interview with local media that the Oscar success of “Parasite” is not a surprise.
“[This] means that American...
“I’m so happy for all the Asian Film industry. It has now created bigger dreams for Asian filmmakers,” said Korean producer Jonathan Kim. “Now I have a different view on Hollywood. Even Hollywood is becoming more open minded.”
“Game changer!!! So happy for all of us. The Asians have finally arrived in Hollywood!” said Andrew Ooi, president of Echelon Talent Management, a Vancouver-based management firm with a predominantly Asian clientele.
Park Chan Wook, one of South Korea’s top filmmakers and a producer of Bong’s “Snowpiercer,” said in an interview with local media that the Oscar success of “Parasite” is not a surprise.
“[This] means that American...
- 2/10/2020
- by Patrick Frater and Sonia Kil
- Variety Film + TV
Bong Joon-ho’s ‘Parasite’.
Australia and Korea have had an official co-production treaty in place for five years now, though a project has yet to eventuate from it.
Of course, co-productions – particularly official ones under government treaties or MOUs – aren’t easy and can take a long time to come to fruition. The challenges are often numerable: finding the right partner, nuances involved in cross-cultural creative and financial collaboration, language barriers, managing talent and shoots across countries, and a lot of paperwork.
But co-productions also offer many creative and financial benefits, particularly as the marketplace for content grows increasingly global.
Collaboration between Australia and Korea’s screen industries will form a focus at tomorrow’s Asia Pacific Screen Forum in Brisbane – a new adjunct to the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) – in a session supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat)’s Australia-Korean Foundation.
Speaking on the...
Australia and Korea have had an official co-production treaty in place for five years now, though a project has yet to eventuate from it.
Of course, co-productions – particularly official ones under government treaties or MOUs – aren’t easy and can take a long time to come to fruition. The challenges are often numerable: finding the right partner, nuances involved in cross-cultural creative and financial collaboration, language barriers, managing talent and shoots across countries, and a lot of paperwork.
But co-productions also offer many creative and financial benefits, particularly as the marketplace for content grows increasingly global.
Collaboration between Australia and Korea’s screen industries will form a focus at tomorrow’s Asia Pacific Screen Forum in Brisbane – a new adjunct to the Asia Pacific Screen Awards (Apsa) – in a session supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat)’s Australia-Korean Foundation.
Speaking on the...
- 11/19/2019
- by jkeast
- IF.com.au
Pong Su (Photo credit: ABC).
The infamous case of the North Korean cargo ship involved in Australia’s largest drug bust will be dramatised in a feature film, potentially as the first official Australian-Korean co-production.
Reg Cribb is writing the first draft of action drama The Pong Su for the producers, Unicorn Films’ Lizzette Atkins and Jonathan Kim of Korea’s Hanmac Culture Group.
The cargo ship was used to smuggle 150 kilograms of heroin into Victoria in April 2003. The Australian Federal Police monitored the operation and the ship was seized off the coast of Nsw on the orders of Prime Minister John Howard.
The film will follow eccentric defence lawyer Ian Hayden, his Korean interpreter Yuna and their relationship with their charismatic client, the ship’s master, North Korean Captain Song.
“In a story full of contradictions and moral ambiguity, the defence team is determined to see justice done,” Atkins says.
The infamous case of the North Korean cargo ship involved in Australia’s largest drug bust will be dramatised in a feature film, potentially as the first official Australian-Korean co-production.
Reg Cribb is writing the first draft of action drama The Pong Su for the producers, Unicorn Films’ Lizzette Atkins and Jonathan Kim of Korea’s Hanmac Culture Group.
The cargo ship was used to smuggle 150 kilograms of heroin into Victoria in April 2003. The Australian Federal Police monitored the operation and the ship was seized off the coast of Nsw on the orders of Prime Minister John Howard.
The film will follow eccentric defence lawyer Ian Hayden, his Korean interpreter Yuna and their relationship with their charismatic client, the ship’s master, North Korean Captain Song.
“In a story full of contradictions and moral ambiguity, the defence team is determined to see justice done,” Atkins says.
- 10/17/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
Hugo Keiser’s “The Occupant” from the Netherlands, won the Bucheon prize, worth $12,800 (Krw 15 million) at Naff, the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival’s genre film project market.
Naff is part of BiFan’s B.I.G. industry support program. Prizes were awarded on Wednesday night.
Phan Linh’s sci fi comedy “Dogcow” won the Bound Entertainment award, which equally comes with a cash prize of $12,800. Boaz Armoni’s “Fingernail,” an Israeli horror project, took the Naff Award with a cash prize of $8,550. The Naff Korean Award was presented to Yu Eun-jeong’s “Lady the Ghost” and by Nakanish Mai’s “Hana” with cash prizes of $4,270 (Krw 5 million) given to each. Also worth $4,270, the Dhl award went to David Chang’s action fantasy “The Medium: The Flaming Exorcist Sinner” from Taiwan. Taiwan was the focus territory of the Naff’s Project Spotlight 2019.
Prizewinners were selected by a jury of veteran...
Naff is part of BiFan’s B.I.G. industry support program. Prizes were awarded on Wednesday night.
Phan Linh’s sci fi comedy “Dogcow” won the Bound Entertainment award, which equally comes with a cash prize of $12,800. Boaz Armoni’s “Fingernail,” an Israeli horror project, took the Naff Award with a cash prize of $8,550. The Naff Korean Award was presented to Yu Eun-jeong’s “Lady the Ghost” and by Nakanish Mai’s “Hana” with cash prizes of $4,270 (Krw 5 million) given to each. Also worth $4,270, the Dhl award went to David Chang’s action fantasy “The Medium: The Flaming Exorcist Sinner” from Taiwan. Taiwan was the focus territory of the Naff’s Project Spotlight 2019.
Prizewinners were selected by a jury of veteran...
- 7/4/2019
- by Sonia Kil
- Variety Film + TV
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