Seize this Valuable Film-Financing Opportunity - 12th HAF Submissions Start Today|爭取電影融資機遇 第12屆香港亞洲電影投資會展開招募

(5 August, 2013) Hong Kong ― The Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) announced today its call for submissions for the 12th edition to be held from 24 to 26 March 2014 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. HAF is open to fiction and non-fiction/documentary project submissions from today until 18 October 2013. The selected projects will be invited to participate in the forum and compete for monetary awards of up to HK$500,000 in total (approximately US$64,000).

HAF is organised by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) and has become the leading film-financing platform in Asia. From now until 18 October 2013, the 12th HAF will accept applications for its three initiatives - “2014 HAF Project Entry”, “HAF/Fox Chinese Film Development Award”, and “HAF Script Development Fund”. Cash prizes for the three awards add up to HK$500,000 (approximately US$64,000). An early bird discount is offered to participants who apply online on or before 5 September 2013.

In 2013, the 11th HAF received more than 250 submissions from 51 territories from across the globe. The 25 projects selected comprised works from both notable and up-and-coming filmmakers, including the celebrated Japanese director and member of the main competition jury at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival KAWASE Naomi and Apichatpong WEERASETHAKUL, the Thai director who won the Palme d'Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival with Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. KAWASE praised the HAF, saying “I don’t have to fly all the way to the other side of the planet to find financiers. HAF provides a comfortable environment for filmmakers to look for investment opportunities.” WEERASETHAKUL added, “HAF helped me understand the practicality of the film business… to know what our team is capable of so we can deliver the best project by working within a budget.”

In the past eleven years, HAF has provided support to new and established filmmakers to realise their film projects, many of which have been produced and have received international acclaim. Some recent successes include: Flora LAU’s Bends (Hong Kong, HAF 2011) selected for Un Certain Regard at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival; CHUNG Mong-Hong’s Soul (Taiwan, HAF 2011) winner of four major awards at the 2013 Taipei Film Festival; and Hong Kong actress Charlie YEUNG’s directorial debut Christmas Rose (Hong Kong, HAF 2009) which was released regionally in early 2013. YEUNG won the HAF Excellence Award with her project in 2009 and valued HAF as an extremely rewarding experience, “I can make contact with people in various positions. It is very helpful for thinking.”

For more details on the 12th HAF’s submission procedures, application eligibility and selection criteria, please visit www.haf.org.hk, or contact us via email: haf@hkiff.org.hk.

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About The Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF)

The Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) is widely recognised as the most important film financing platform in Asia. The HAF brings Asian filmmakers with upcoming film projects to Hong Kong for co-production ventures with top film financiers, producers, bankers, distributors and buyers. Attracting more than 1,000 filmmakers and financiers from at least 35 countries and regions, around 25 to 30 projects are selected annually to participate in the three-day event.

Past participants include China's JIA Jiangke, JIANG Wen and NING Hao; Hong Kong's Peter CHAN, Stanley KWAN, Ann HUI, Fruit CHAN and PANG Ho-cheung; Taiwan's TSAI Ming-Liang, WEI Te-Sheng and Leon DAI; Japan's KORE-EDA Hirokazu, KUROSAWA Kiyoshi and IWAI Shunji; South Korea's PARK Chan-wook, KIM Jee-woon, BONG Joon-ho and IM Sang-soo; as well as Thailand's Ekachai UEKRONGTHAM, Nonzee NIMIBUTR and Pen-ek RATANARUANG.

About The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited (HKIFFS) Uniting the World through Film

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited (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 programmes, 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.

（2013年8月5日）香港 ― 第12屆香港亞洲電影投資會(HAF)將於2014年3月24至26日在香港會議展覽中心舉行，大會宣布電影計劃招募今日正式展開，由即日（8月5日）起至2013年10月18日接受劇情片及非劇情片/紀錄片的電影計劃申請。入選電影計劃代表將獲邀參與明年舉行的投資會，並可競逐總值港幣五十萬元（約六萬四千美元）的現金獎。

由香港國際電影節協會(HKIFFS)主辦的HAF，是亞洲最重要的電影融資平台之一。第12屆HAF於即日（8月5日） 起至10月18日接受申請，只需遞交一份申請，便可同時參加三個項目：「HAF 2014 電影計劃」、「HAF/Fox華語電影開創大奬」及「HAF 劇本發展基金」，頒發現金獎合共港幣五十萬元（約六萬四千美元）。9月5日或之前於網上報名，更可享有早報優惠。

上屆HAF共收到來自全球51個國家及地區、逾 250 份申請。HAF在芸芸作品中精選了25份優秀計劃，獲選計劃來自不少聞名世界的導演及影壇新秀，包括2013年度康城影展評審、知名日本導演河瀨直美，以及憑《波米叔叔的前世今生》獲頒2010年度康城影展金棕櫚獎的泰國導演阿彼察邦韋拉斯花古等電影人。河瀨直美表示：「我不需再舟車勞頓，HAF提供了舒適的平台讓電影人尋找投資機會。」阿彼察邦韋拉斯花古則認為：「HAF的確令我更了解電影這門生意的可行性…讓我明白製作團隊的能力，使我們能於預算內製作出最優秀的作品。」

過去十一年，HAF一直不為餘力地支持資深及新晉導演實現電影計劃，當中不少優秀計劃已成功開拍，更在國際影展上屢獲殊榮。近年的成功例子包括入選本年度康城影展「一種關注」競賽單元，劉韻文導演的《過界》（香港，HAF 2011計劃）、在台北電影節橫掃四項大獎，鍾孟宏執導的《失魂》（台灣，HAF 2011計劃），以及於2013年上旬在亞洲各地上映，由香港演員楊采妮編導的《聖誕玫瑰》（香港，HAF 2009計劃）等作品。楊采妮於2009年憑此電影計劃獲頒HAF卓越大奬，談及參加HAF，楊視此為寶貴經驗：「過程中接觸到不同崗位的人，對思考很有幫助。」

欲瞭解第12屆HAF申請程序、所需資格及評選準則，可瀏覽HAF官方網站 www.haf.org.hk/haf/chi，或電郵 haf@hkiff.org.hk 查詢。

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香港亞洲電影投資會(HAF)簡介 香港亞洲電影投資會(HAF)是亞洲區內最重要的電影融資平台之一，每年選出25至30個全新電影計劃，並邀請計劃製作人於為期三日的投資會上，與超過1000名來自最少35個國家及地區的投資者、製片人、發行商和買家洽談合作，開拓商機。

曾參與的導演包括來自中國的賈樟柯、姜文及寧浩；香港的陳可辛、關錦鵬、許鞍華、陳果及彭浩翔；台灣的蔡明亮、魏德聖及戴立忍；日本的是枝裕和、黑澤清及岩井俊二；韓國的朴贊郁、金知雲、奉俊昊及林常樹；以及泰國的呂翼謀、朗斯尼美畢達及彭力雲旦拿域安。

香港國際電影節協會(HKIFFS)簡介 以電影連繫世界

香港國際電影節協會是一個非牟利及非官方的慈善團體，致力發揚電影文化，推廣光影藝術。

透過全年活動，協會期望加強世界各地對中國電影文化的欣賞，並把各地具啟發性的電影帶到香港，豐富本地精神文化生活。

為加強香港及亞洲電影的感染力，協會於每年三、四月期間均舉辦三項旗艦活動，包括：香港國際電影節(HKIFF)、香港亞洲電影投資會(HAF)及亞洲電影大獎(AFA)。

電影能夠連繫不同的文化和世代，激發無窮創造力。憑此信念，協會不斷為成千上萬的影迷，帶來世界各地最優秀及具啟發性的電影作品。