Online Panel
27/2 (Sat) 20:00 | Zoom
Conducted in Mandarin
The position and market of Chinese-language Film
In recent years, more Hong Kong independent films have been making a splash internationally and young filmmakers are constantly traversing unknown terrains for resources and new ideas. What role does international distribution play in taking Hong Kong independent films to the next level? Representatives of three distribution companies – Ablaze Image, Aview Images and Parallax Films will come together to talk about the position of Chinese language films in the international market, ways to help up-and-coming directors and their works gain recognition, and reflect on the circumstances and opportunities under the current pandemic.
Panelists:
Ablaze Image
June WU
June WU graduated from M.A. of Cinema Studies from New York University, she started out in film production at critically acclaimed auteur Johnnie To’s Milkyway Image and later moved into distribution, serving at Hong Kong’s Media Asia Distribution and heading international sales and distribution at renowned producer Bill Kong’s Edko Films. With her extensive experience for years in international sales, in 2013 WU founded Ablaze Image, the leading brand of international sales and distribution in Taiwan, bringing various genres of Chinese-language cinematic gems to worldwide audiences. WU also serves as the Special Consultant for Distribution Workshop, Head of Industry of International Film Festival & Awards Macao, also the mentor of Taipei Produire au Sud Workshop, and as well as the industry consultant and committee member of various film institutions in Taiwan.
Aview Images
KUEK Shee Heng
KUEK Shee Heng is a Malaysian Chinese, based in Taiwan. He is a producer and international sales agent, the founder of Aview Images. His production credits including Arnie, was nominated for Cannes International Critics’ Week in 2016; Is Life A Movie won the Best Short Film in Beijing International Short Film Festival in 2018.
Parallax Films
CAO Liuying
CAO Liuying is a co-founder of film critic platform DeepFocus. Over the past seven years, she represents various media outlets to report overseas film festivals including Cannes, Berlinale, Venice, Busan and has published more than 500 reviews and interviews. She also works as a producer and international sales for Chinese films and has successfully brought high-quality arthouse products such as Girls Always Happy, Three Adventures of Brooke to the international audience. Vanishing Days, the film that she co-produced was selected by dozens of prestigious film festivals including Busan IFF – New Currents Competition, Berlinale, Hong Kong IFF.
Host
Polly YEUNG
Polly YEUNG produced and wrote animation Another World (2019) that garnered Digicon6 Asia Award – Grand Prize (Japan) and ifva Awards – Gold Award. In 2020, Another World was awarded at Hong Kong-Asia Financing Forum – Fiction Award (Hong Kong Project). Her recent works as producer including Hotel Soul Good (2018, Udine Far East FF) and The Lady Improper (2019), selected for CinemAsia FF, Osaka Asian FF and nominated for the Best Actress, Hong Kong Film Awards. She also wrote the live action film Rest on Your Shoulder (2011), selected for Shanghai IFF.