Filmart Achieves Buzzy Comeback Edition With Chinese Buyers, New Projects And Hong Kong & Korean Stars

deadline.com:

Although Filmart felt quiet on its first morning, with many attendees glued to their phones watching the Oscars, it soon turned into a reasonably vibrant market, with sales companies locked in back-to-back meetings, new project announcements and a few star appearances to liven up proceedings.

With some large country pavilions deciding to skip the event, the trade show floor in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre had a lot of wide corridors and some empty spaces.

But there was enough foot traffic and meetings activity to make it feel like a busy market.  “With two record-breaking Hong Kong films before and the historical Oscar wins during the market, this Filmart had a lot of hopeful energy,” says WME Independent’s Nelson Mok. “We found there were many co-production and financing opportunities that are going to pave the way for meaningful collaborations.” Sales agents were welcoming the return of in-person meetings with buyers from mainland China, for the first time in three years, many of whom had made a last-minute decision to travel to Hong Kong following the removal of Covid restrictions on both sides of the border.  “Our sales agents are saying the Chinese companies they’re meeting are serious buyers,” says European Film Promotion’s deputy managing director Jo Muhlberger. “Although they’re not signing contracts yet, they’re really starting to get back into business.” Muhlberger added that the Europeans were also meeting a healthy number of buyers from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Southeast Asia and even a few from Middle Eastern countries. “They’re saying there were very few no shows, and if one company didn’t turn up, another would would drop by and they’d end up having a productive meeting.” Speaking off