Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) today (March 1) announced the winners of the 4th First Feature Film Initiative (FFFI). Three new directors and their production teams will receive funding from the Film Development Fund (FDF) to implement their winning film proposals and make their first commercial feature films.
Speaking at the award presentation ceremony, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Film Development Council (FDC), Mr Ma Fung-kwok, said, "Since its launch in 2013, the FFFI has received a positive response from the film industry and the tertiary education sector and has given valuable opportunities for young talents who wish to join the film industry. The Government has increased the number of prizes in the Higher Education Institution Group of the 4th FFFI to two with a view to attracting more young people to join the film industry and nurturing more film talents."
Mr Ma said the previous three rounds of the competition have identified and nurtured many outstanding and new film talents. He said it is very encouraging that the three winning projects of the 1st FFFI, namely "Somewhere Beyond the Mist" in the Professional Group, and "Weeds on Fire" and "Mad World" in the Higher Education Institution Group, as well as "In Your Dreams" in the Higher Education Institution Group of the 2nd FFFI, have received critical acclaim and support from audiences.
Mr Ma said he hoped that the FFFI would continue to take up the mission to groom budding talents for the film industry and help more young people to make their dreams come true. He also called for continuous support from the film trade in order to help ensure a steady supply of new blood for the local film industry.
The Chief Executive said in the 2017 Policy Address that the Government has adopted a multi-pronged approach in promoting the development of the film industry. Initiatives include encouraging local film production, nurturing talent, audience building and establishing the Hong Kong film brand name both in the region and overseas. Mr Ma said the FDC will continue to work with the Government to support the film industry in Hong Kong on various fronts with a view to promoting its sustainable development.
A total of 25 production teams signed up for the 4th FFFI, with 16 teams participating in the Professional Group and nine teams in the Higher Education Institution Group. The winning entries are as follows:
Professional Group
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Film title: Elisa's Day
Brief introduction: A story on how a policeman faces a mistake he made 20 years ago when investigating a crime-of-passion murder case.
Director and scriptwriter: Alan Fung
Producer: Wong Yat-ping
Higher Education Institution Group
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Film title: My Prince Edward
Brief introduction: A story on a woman struggling on whether to enter into a marriage or not.
Director and scriptwriter: Norris Wong
Producers: Chan Hing-kai and O Sing-pui
Film title: Hand-rolled Cigarette
Brief introduction: A story of how a retired British-Chinese soldier and a marginalised young South Asian man face the plight of being abandoned by society.
Director: Chan Kin-long
Scriptwriters: Chan Kin-long and Ling Wai-chun
Producers: Lawrence Ah Mon and Cherrie Lau
The winning teams of the Higher Education Institution Group and the Professional Group will receive a maximum of $3.25 million and $5.5 million respectively from the FDF to produce their films.
The winning teams are required to complete the whole film production and sales process, involving planning, shooting and distribution, and in the process acquire practical knowledge in making a feature film.
CreateHK also announced today that the Government will launch a new campaign called "Nova Power", which aims to promote the new generation of film artistes and fashion designers through cross-sectorial collaboration between the film industry and the fashion industry. The scheme is organised by CCIDAHK and the FDC and co-organised by the Hong Kong Film Arts Association, the Hong Kong Association of Motion Picture Post Production Professionals and the Hong Kong Design Centre.
Thursday, March 1, 2018