HK Filmart and China Radio International interview
Sunday, Mar 28, 2010 4:53PM
I had the opportunity of attending the HK FILMART and meeting many of the great folks working to develop the industry of film in Asia and advance the film culture. Filmart is the warmup of the big spring film markets, with everyone anticipating Cannes.
A strong focus of the seminars and many of the exhibitors was on the digital and CGI technology as well as 3-D technology. After Avatar, we can all expect to be experiencing a deluge of 3D films. let's hope we don't get only 2D characters and plots.
As a former Hollywood Reporter journalist and AlivenotDead artist, I also attended the star-studded "Hollywood Reporter Magazine/AlivenotDead.com Party honoring Next Generation talent ( young film industry movers and shakers.)
At Filmmart, There was a lineup of interesting Asian films and a few Asia or world premiers. Of the films that I saw "She a Chinese" had already played in Venice, but the actress Huang Lu put on a great performance in that edgy film. It is worth a watch.
And the period piece "Cow" (duo niu) presented an interesting narrative around a little-known program from the Allies in Europe sending Holstein cows to China to help China resist Japan (because this breed offers superior milk production) The story focused on one cow and the simple man charged with being her keeper (played by CRAZYSTONE's Huang Bo. ) during the harsh winter of 1940 during the Japanese occupation of China. This was a good piece of storytelling by Hu Guan (known for 2002's EYES OF A BEAUTY) which shows some mature work and well-developed story.
I was also part of a radio panel discussion on China's film industry with China Radio International. There is a link to the radio show below. I was a call-in from Hong Kong since i was still at the Filmart. Show co-host Qinduo left, Amy Liu and Donny Liang of Entgroup.cn, professor Liu Jun of Beijing Film Academy and show co-host Chris Gelkin is on the right. Professor Gary XU also joined the panel on the phone from the University of Illinois.
