8^th HAF Commemorates Renowned Film Producer
WOUTER BARENDRECHT with New Award

Hong Kong, 24^th February, 2010 – The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) today announced that the 8^th HAF, which will be held from 22^th to 24^th March, 2010, will present a new award dedicated to the memory of the late Wouter BARENDRECHT, the co-founder of the HAF.

The Wouter Barendrecht Award commemorates BARENDRECHT’s contribution to both the HAF and Asian cinema. An internationally renowned film producer and founder of Fortissimo Films, BARENDRECHT was credited with helping a generation of Asian filmmakers such as WONG Kar-wai and IWAI Shunji to reach a global audience.

This new award, worth HK$50,000, will be funded by the Wouter Barendrecht Film Foundation and the Film Development Fund, and will go towards promoting nascent filmmaking talents in Asia. It is open to the HAF projects led by directors who have made less than three films, with the winner selected by the Foundation’s representatives.

This new prize complements the strong line up of awards already available to projects at the HAF. They include:

• The HAF Awards – Awarded to one project from Hong Kong and another from overseas, and this year’s prizes have increased the cash value from last year’s HK$100,000 to HK$150,000 each. The winning projects are selected by the HAF Reading Committee based on the creativity of the scripts. The HAF Awards will be given to two of the 25 selected HAF projects.


• The Technicolor Asia Award – This will be presented by Technicolor Thailand Limited to a project that shows the highest potential for film financing. The project’s director must have directed at least one other film, TV commercial, documentary or TV programme and be willing to undertake post-production in Thailand. The winner will be selected by representatives of Technicolor Thailand Limited.


• Paris Project Award – The winner will be invited by the representative of Paris Cinéma International Film Festival to participate in the Paris Project 2010 with all travel and accommodation expenses covered.

This brings the total number of awards up to five at this year’s HAF. The total value of the five awards is approximately HK$595,000 in cash and value in-kind.

Widely recognised as one of the most important film-financing platforms in Asia, the HAF brings Asian filmmakers with upcoming film projects to Hong Kong for co-production ventures with top film financiers, producers, investors, distributors and buyers. Past HAF Awardees include: Dante LAM, Clara LAW, PANG Ho-cheung, Lawrence GARY and Ann HUI from Hong Kong; NA Hong-jin from Korea; NING Hoa from China; KORE-EDA Hirokazu from Japan; and Royston TAN from Singapore.

The winners of the five awards for the 8^th HAF will be announced during the HAF Awards Ceremony on 24^th March, 2010 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre during the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART).

For more HAF alumni projects accomplishments, please visit the official website at http://www.haf.asia.

For further information, media only:

Waggener Edstrom Worldwide 
Tramy Leung, Tel: +852 2907 8812
Vickie Chong, Tel: +852 2578 2116
E-mail: HKIFFS-MediaEnquiries@waggeneredstrom.com

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society
E-mail: pr@hkiff.org.hk

About Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF)

The Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) is widely recognised as one of the most important film-financing platforms in Asia. The HAF brings Asian filmmakers with upcoming film projects to Hong Kong for co-production ventures with top film financiers, producers, investors, distributors and buyers. Attended by 1,000 filmmakers and financiers, more than 20 projects are selected to participate in this three-day event. 

Past participants include Mainland China's JIA Jiangke, JIANG Wen and LOU Ye, Hong Kong's Stanley KWAN, Ann HUI, Gordon CHAN, PANG Ho-cheung, Taiwan's TSAI Ming-Liang, CHANG Tso-chi and WEI Te-sheng, Japan's SABU, NAKATA Hideo, OTANI Kentaro, KORE-EDA Hirokazu, MIIKE Takashi and YUKISADA Isao, Korea's KIM Jee-woon, PARK Chan-wook, E J-yong and IM Sang-soo as well as Thailand's EKACHAI Uekrongtham, Nonzee NIMIBUTR and Pen-ek RATANARUANG. The 8^th HAF will be held from 22^nd to 24^th March, 2010.

For more information, please join the HAF Facebook community at http://www.facebook.com/haf.asia or visit the HAF official website at http://www.haf.asia.

About The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS)

Uniting the World through Film
The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) is a charitable, non-profit and non-governmental organisation dedicated to the discovery and promotion of creativity in the art and culture of film. Through its year-round programs, the mission of the Society is to strengthen global appreciation of Chinese film culture and to promote inspiring films from around the world, enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong. Committed to the development of a vibrant film culture in Hong Kong and Asia, the Society organises three annual flagship events in March and April: the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) and the Asian Film Awards (AFA). Passionately believing in the power of films to unite cultures and generations, the HKIFFS is devoted to giving thousands of film lovers around the region direct access to the world’s most inspired films all year round.

Concurrent Events

The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF)

The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) is one of Asia’s most reputable platforms for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers from all over the world to launch new works and experience outstanding films.

Screening over 250 titles from more than 50 countries in 11 major cultural venues across the territory, the Festival is Hong Kong’s largest cultural event that reaches an audience of over 580,000 including 4,500 business executives who attend the Hong Kong Film and Television Market (FILMART), a concurrent event of the HKIFF.

Committed to discovering new talent, the Festival premieres the breadth of Chinese cinema and showcases Asian talents.  As a lifestyle event, festival-goers can enjoy world-class films, attend seminars hosted by leading filmmakers from around the world, visit film exhibitions, join celebration parties, and more.

The Festival draws extensive media coverage from over 560 global press members and continues to grow in vital importance as the premier platform to launch films to Asia. The 34^th HKIFF will be held from 21^st March to 6^th April, 2010.

For more information, please visit the official HKIFF website: http://www.hkiff.org

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Released on behalf of the HKIFFS by Waggener Edstrom Worldwide.