FILMART DAILY MAR. 23, 2015 №1 THR.COM/FILMART Contents Panda Cover D1 032315.indd 1 3/18/15 1:52 PM MARCH 23, 2015 THR.COM/FILMART HONG KONG №1 HK TODAY TOMORROW WEATHER AND HIGH 72° F 71° F TEMPS 22° C 22° C KOREA’S MBC U.S. Pins Asia Hopes on Filmart INKS ISLAND The Hong Kong market sees a record number of Hollywood dealmakers looking to crack the TV DEAL world’s hottest film sector. “It’s essential to attend” says one insider By Clifford Coonan By Clifford Coonan ollywood-Asia links are in focus as a accessing the China market given its prime location erenity Media Group’s record 47 American companies and as one of the most bustling, cosmopolitan cities in Christie Hsiao has signed Hindividuals have signed up to take part the region,” she tells THR. Sa partnership with South in Filmart this year. She is in the territory with two titles announced Korea’s Munhwa Broadcasting Links between Hollywood and China are deep- at Berlin: Chronically Metropolitan with Shiloh Corporation (MBC) network ening: in the last week alone Huayi Bros. partnered Fernandez, Chris Noth, Mary-Louise Parker to make a TV series and stage with Robert Simonds’ STX Entertainment, while and Ashley Benson and Untot with Hayden musical of her novel Journey to Lionsgate signed a $375 million film financing Christensen. Rainbow Island. deal with Hunan TV. “Filmart has grown in importance over Hsiao believes the Korean Hollywood companies hoping to move the years as Asia continues to dominate and deal will be a stepping stone to their projects in the region include The exert its force in the international market- further sales in Asia. Asylum, IM Global, Electric Entertainment, Anisi place. It’s now become essential for me to The deal involves the pro- Lakeshore International, MarVista attend and establish a direct relationship with duction of a children’s musical Entertainment and XYZ Pictures, which is rep- buyers there and understand their individual terri- TV series, as well as a transla- ping Kevin Smith’s forthcoming Yoga Hosers with tory needs,” she adds. tion of the novel into Korean. Johnny Depp at Filmart. Filmart features a panel discussion organized by The Korean language book Tannaz Anisi, president of 13 Films, is attending the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and will come out in October 2015, Filmart for the first time. the Producers’ Guild of America called Making followed by a stage musical in “Hong Kong is definitely a primary way of CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 the first half of 2016. “I have always envisioned Journey to Rainbow Island as review an international project that The Taking of Tiger Mountain can reach audiences all over In Tsui Hark’s actioner, a People’s Liberation Army soldier infiltrates a clan of bandits CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 by clarence tsui SUI HARK’S THE TAKING Mak’s Neon of Tiger Mountain — based Makes Market T on a 1957 novel about a communist soldier’s battle of By Karen Chu Bow wits with bandits during the igor Mortis director Chinese Civil War in the late Juno Mak will unveil 1940s — is a straightforward RSons of the Neon Night spectacle motored by high-oc- to buyers at Filmart. The $15 tane action sequences featuring million crime thriller is pro- simplistic heroes and grotesque duced by Mak’s Kudos Films, villains. Amid the and Hong Kong-based FC blinding visuals SEE PAGE 10 FOR A Q&A Movies, a member of the Shaw and ear-splitting WITH DIRECTOR Brothers Group. firepower, Tsui’s TSUI HARK The film is written, pro- adaptation stays duced and directed by Mak. very close to the simplistic moral Filming is planned to com- binary that shaped its source mence in the fourth quarter of material — hardly a surprise, as 2015 for a late 2016 release. the director counts among his Mak reinvented the Chinese backers the August First Film “jumping vampire” genre in his Studio, the Chinese military’s Military leader Lin directorial debut Rigor Mortis does his best to moviemaking unit. in 2013, and subsequently take down a group Tiger Mountain revolves around of thieves. garnered nominations for best CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 1 D1_HK_news1+2+leadrev.inddC.indd 1 3/22/15 10:08 PM theREPORT U.S AT FILMART XYZ Pictures will be CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 shopping Kevin Smith’s HEAT INDEX Yoga Hosers at Filmart. Asian Films in America, featur- ing Elizabeth Dell, head of the PGA’s China Task Force, and Stu Levy, who chairs the Guild’s International Committee, Online Video Committee and the PGA ProShow. The Digital Entertainment Summit will also use ANDY LAU The Hong Kong mega star’s Love and Lost, Transformers and Avatar as a tale of a man looking for his abducted case studies in another panel, son, written and directed by Peng Sanyan, opened strong in China on March 20, T for Transmedia: Immersive taking $6.4 million on its first day. Storyworld and A New Way of Audience Engagement. While relations are expanding, IFTA, which puts on the annual companies that skipped the and Americans come here look- American Film Market, has European Film Market in Berlin ing for Asian content, so we also been vocal in calling for China to in Feb. The German event’s always try to keep an open eye honor the terms of a 2012 trade proximity to Chinese New Year for local content with Universal deal and allow Hollywood films to means many Asians don’t attend. themes. Filmart is a hub for compete on a transparent basis. “As Asia has grown, so has tons of new fresh material in the Katie Irwin, VP of interna- the competition for Asian distrib- region,” says Hoiseth. tional at Fortitude International utors’ attention,” adds Irwin. While Chinese companies CHEN GUANGBIAO The Chinese philanthropist and would-be says Filmart offers useful access “But nothing builds a better are increasingly reaching out media mogul, who once tried to buy The to the China market, which last bond than taking the time to get directly, Filmart remains a good NY Times, is in hot water – literally – after admitting he faked a 30-minute-long Ice year chalked up a 36-percent to know them, their company place to meet investors from Bucket Challenge by using water that was rise to reach $4.76 billion in total and their market.” mainland China. “as warm as a hotel swimming pool.” box office. Kevin Hoiseth, director of sales “It’s important to stay up to “There are many mainland at International Film Trust, says date on the marketplace with your know your dealmaker Chinese distributors, production Filmart offers a look at Asian partners. It’s also a great place to companies, financing entities, etc. content that can travel. see what’s working and what’s not who attend Filmart with an appe- “Everybody is trying to diver- working in the region,” he says. tite to do business,” says Irwin. sify in a global way and several Filmart also offers valu- markets in Asia are thriving at Karen Chu contributed able face time with Chinese the moment. Many European to this report. ISLAND NEON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 FRED WANG the world,” Hsiao tells new director at the Hong Kong Film Awards and CHAIRMAN, SALON FILMS THR. “My plan is to develop Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards. The film grossed Filmart regular Wang will host the working digital gaming and merchandise over $6 million worldwide, and was awarded the group meeting of the upcoming Asia Content Business Summit in Manila in based on Journey to Rainbow FIPRESCI Prize at the Golden Horse Awards. October, where government officials and Island, as well as the film. With “I’ve created a new world for the story. I’m industry insiders from nine countries across Asia will discuss topics ranging the launch of Journey to Rainbow attempting to re-establish the cops and robbers from film financing and tariff issues to how Island in Korea, it is my belief genre, and to redefine the boundaries of a crime to prevent online piracy. that it will generate success throughout Asia.” thriller,” Mak tells THR. “I’ll deconstruct then A spokesperson for MBC said it was in talks reconstruct the rules of the crime thriller genre, MEANWHILE, IN THE REAL WORLD … with major Chinese film companies and distribu- and hope to bring a breath of fresh air into a genre tion on a co-production based on Island. that audiences have watched for decades.” • Lionsgate’s Insurgent opened The spokesperson added that the company was With Rigor Mortis being a festival favorite, strong with $21.3 million in particularly attracted to the prospect of using invited to be screened at over 30 international North America, while Sean Penn’s Island as the basis for a theme park. The follow-up film festivals, including a premiere at Venice The Gunman misfired with only book will see the main female character, Yu-ning, and screening in Toronto, Mak’s frequent flying $1.8 million. • Snoop Dogg is developing an travel to Korea and China. became a catalyst for writing Sons of the Neon autobiographical drama series MBC is considering using its links to Hebei Night. “I had the concept of Sons of the Neon Night for HBO about growing up in Long TV in China to develop the project there because before Rigor Mortis,” says Mak, “and during the Beach, California in the 1980s. Island fits well with China’s need for “positive, promotional period of Rigor Mortis, I travelled • Taylor Swift says she bought the educational and inspiring content.” for a year and three months to festivals around domain names TaylorSwift.porn and TaylorSwift.adult to prevent “Our main focus is Journey to Rainbow Island the world.