The world has almost come to a halt since the Covid-19 pandemic, and the film industry is no exception.

As we pause and look back at our four-year journey of formulating this programme, our goal remains the same, that is, expanding the discussion of Hong Kong independent cinema through regional experience. At the same time, a lot has changed - Asian cinema has further grown, but in Hong Kong, the space for freedom of expression has been rapidly shrinking. If there is a silver lining, that would be Hong Kong filmmakers’ effort to start pushing forward alternative ways to make films, be it the First Feature Film Initiative scheme, or independent movies produced with international funding. In post-2019 Hong Kong, the trend of Chinese co-production is over, and the audience root for home-grown films again. As film professionals, whether independent or commercial, emerging or experienced, we all have to ask - where do we go from here?

Independent film is always in the process of becoming, and the only constant is creative independence. New Cinema Collective: The Emerging Power of Asian Cinema seeks to further build on the recent development of Hong Kong cinema, and foster dialogue on its future through contextualising it in Asian independent and art cinema. We present more than 20 films from Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China, goes hybrid with physical/online screenings, online post-screening talks, masterclass and panel discussion with film professionals in three strands -

Co-production introduces innovative co-production companies such as Epicmedia Productions from Philippines, Momo Film Co from Singapore and KUZOKU from Japan by screening selected films they co-produced; the programme also looks into three case studies of independent co-production - Singing in Graveyards (Malaysia and Philippines), A Land Imagined (Singapore) and Blue Island (Hong Kong) with their producers and directors breaking different production routes.

Post-production brings editing into the spotlight with two acclaimed editors in Asia - Matthieu LACLAU, who won Golden Horse Awards for Best Film Editing with the film A Touch of Sin, and Lee CHATAMETIKOOL, who is a long-time collaborator with Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL. Through screening selected debut and second features they edited, along with online masterclass and panel, LACLAU and CHATAMETIKOOL will share their creative process and how they work with emerging directors.

Distribution invites a line-up of professionals - Ablaze Image, Aview Images and Parallax Films, specialising in new Chinese-language cinema and showcases debut features they launched. It explores works of international distribution, and new opportunities during the pandemic. The programme also presents various Chinese-language short films that show us the potential of short film in reacting to current issues.

Conversation is more important than ever in times of pandemic. We are excited to welcome overseas film professionals to continue the dialogue online with Hong Kong emerging film professionals, including WONG Chun (Director of Mad World), Jun LI (Director of Drifting), CHAN Kin Long (Director of Hand Rolled Cigarette) and Didi WU (Programmer of Hong Kong Asian Film Festival). We hope the programme becomes a place where international and local film professionals can come together and create new opportunities for collaboration.

While we are penning this foreword, the fourth wave of Covid-19 brings the cinema curtain down again. In the midst of uncertainty, we still believe Hong Kong holds many unheard stories, histories and emotions, and it is also home to young creative talents who are ambitious to push the boundary in film-making and our world.

Taking this opportunity, we would like to thank all partners, filmmakers and institutions for the solidarity and support that make this programme possible.