24 French sales agents traveled to Hong Kong to take part in the 18th FILMART from March 24-27, 2014, an event that brings together top industry professionals from around the world.
At this year's Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART), the majority of French sales agents were represented at the Unifrance booth, where they marketed their films to buyers in the Asia region. The following French companies were present at the event: Alfama Films, Doc&Film Intl, Bac Films, Celluloid Dreams, Europacorp, Les Films du Losange, Films Distribution, Funny Ballons, Futurikon, Gaumont, Indies Sales, Kinology, Le Pacte, Memento Films International, MK2, Pyramide International, Rezo, Reel Suspects, SND Groupe M6, Studiocanal, The Bureau Sales, UDI, Versatile, Wide, and Wild Bunch. FILMART registered a record number of participants this year, with professionals able to renew acquaintances and make new contacts at the annual cocktail evening hosted by UniFrance films held to coincide with the opening of the film market.
Held concurrently, the 38th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) takes place this year from March 24 through April 7. French actors and directors Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Jalil Lespert, and Agnès B. will accompany the presentation of their films (On My Way, Abuse of Weakness, Yves Saint Laurent, and My Name is Hmmm...) as part of the festival's Official Selection. The actor Christophe Lambert is also taking part in the festival as a jury member for the Young Cinema Competition. French films are particularly well represented this year. 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China, which the festival is celebrating with the presentation of 34 French productions and co-productions showcased in its various sections.
Gala Presentation
Yves Saint Laurent by Jalil Lespert
On My Way by Emmanuelle Bercot
My Name is Hmmm… by Agnès B.
Attila Marcel by Sylvain Chomet
Before the Winter Chill by Philippe Claudel
Grand Central by Rebecca Zlotowski
Violette by Martin Provost
Abuse of Weakness by Catherine Breillat
Tom à la ferme by Xavier Dolan (co-production)
Only Lovers Left Alive by Jim Jarmusch (co-production)
Blind Massage by Lou Ye (co-production)
Documentary Competition
De chair et de lait by Bernard Bloch
Flowing Stories by Jessey Tsang (co-production)
Global Vision
La Dune by Yossi Aviram
Eastern Boys by Robin Campillo
Lulu in the Nude by Solveig Anspach
The Roof Tops by Merzak Allouache (co-production)
My Sweet Pepper Land by Hiner Saleem (co-production)
Honey by Valeria Golino (co-production)
Harmony Lessons by Emir Balgazin (co-production)
Master Class
La Pointe Courte by Agnès Varda
Journey to the West by Tsai Ming-liang (co-production)
'Til Madness Do Us Part by Wang Bing (co-production)
La danza de la realidad by Alejandro Jodorowsky (co-production)
3X3D by Peter Greenaway, Jean-Luc Godard, & Edgar Pera (co-production)
Indie Power
The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq by Guillaume Nicloux
The Avant Garde
A Spell to Ward Off the Darkness by Ben Rivers & Ben Russell
Auteurs
Those Happy Years by Daniele Luchetti (co-production)
What Now? Remind Me by Joaquim Pinto (co-production)
Latin America
Hel by Amat Escalante (co-production)
El mudo by Daniel Vega Vidal & Diego Vega Vidal (co-production)
Midnight Heat
The Witches of Zugarramurdi by Alex de la Iglesia (co-production)
Filmmakers & Filmmaking
Michael H: Profession Director by Yves Montmayeur (co-production)
Jodorowsky's Dune by Frank Pavich (co-production)
Standing out as French films' third biggest international market in 2013, Asia is a territory in which uniFrance Films is particularly active, with three representatives stationed throughout the year in Beijing, Tokyo, and Mumbai. This coming April, UniFrance films president Jean-Paul Salomé will accompany a delegation of movie industry professionals (including Frédérique Bredin, president of the CNC) to China to continue ongoing negotiations with the Chinese authorities. In June, UniFrance films will inaugurate a new film market to be held as part of our French Film Festival in Tokyo. This market will bring together film sales agents and Asian distributors.
