A survey announced Thursday that Hong Kong's twin events for the entertainment industry, the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market (FILMART) and Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), provides the best platform in Asia to market the latest products and to get financing for film productions.

 

About 70 percent of industry respondents described Hong Kong's FILMART and HAF platform as the most significant film event in Asia, followed by similar events in South Korea and Japan.

 

The survey was carried out by independent survey consultant Oracle Added Value and included interviews with 340 international exhibitors and trade visitors at FILMART, which is held from Monday to Thursday in Hong Kong.

 

Buyers said they planned to source more than half of their films and digital and TV entertainment products from Hong Kong. They revealed that South Korea and Japan were second and third sourcing choices.

 

The survey described the Chinese mainland as Hong Kong's "promised land" for market growth. The majority of respondents said Hong Kong was the best place for overseas film companies and entrepreneurs to meet their Chinese mainland counterparts to discuss co-productions and marketing matters.

 

The Trade Development Council's Assistant Executive Director Raymond Yip said Hong Kong as a film center has no equal in Asia in terms of international exposure, creative talent, distribution network and state-of-the-art technology.

 

HAF attracted 616 investors from around the world this year, 25 percent up from the last year. More than 630 appointments were arranged for investors to meet the directors of 25 selected film projects.

 

FILMART drew 400 exhibitors and close to 4,000 buyers, the highest attendance in its 10-year history.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 24, 2006)