Phnom Penh
FABLE Cinema
Phnom Penh
Date: 3 – 6 July 2024
Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia (FABLE Cinema)
Guest: John Chong, Angus Chan, Jozev Kiu, Ricky Ko, Larine Tang, Kinnie Cheung
Screening: Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, Out of Shadow, As It Burns, Fly Me to the Moon, The Goldfinger, I Did It My Way, In the Mood for Love
The inaugural Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation, held in Phnom Penh for the first time, captivated audiences with a spectacular lineup of cinematic treasures. Presented by the Asian Film Awards Academy, in collaboration with Westec Media Limited and financially supported by Hong Kong’s Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), Film Development Fund, and Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, the programme showcased 7 specially selected Hong Kong films at Fable Cinema, Factory Phnom Penh from 3 to 7 July 2024.
The opening ceremony was a dazzling event that showcased the vibrant and diverse cinematic culture of Hong Kong. Among the honorable guests were Her Excellency Pen Moni Makara, Secretary of State, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts Cambodia; Mr. Lin Ruihua, Counsellor, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Cambodia; Mr. Pok Borak, Director of Cinema Department, Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts Cambodia; Mr. Parson Lam, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Bangkok; Ms. Josie Lin, Executive Director of Asian Film Awards Academy; Mr. Michael Chai, CEO of Westec Media Limited; Mr. John Chong, veteran Hong Kong film producer; and Mr. Angus Chan and Mr. Jozev Kiu, executive producer and actor of Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Also present were Mr. Ricky Ko and Ms. Larine Tang, director and lead actress of the film Out of Shadow, and Ms. Kinnie Cheung, producer of As It Burns.
As part of the programme, The Dynamic Cityscapes of Hong Kong Films Exhibition was held concurrently at Factory Phnom Penh from 4 July until 4 August 2024, 10AM – 7PM daily. The admission was free and exhibition materials were in English and Khmer. The Dynamic Cityscapes of Hong Kong Films Exhibition was a celebration and demonstration of Hong Kong’s diverse cityscapes, recreating the most memorable scenes that appeared in the specially selected films, as well as iconic sights in Hong Kong.
In the Asian Film Forum, a panel titled “Navigating Asian Film Content Acquisition” has invited the following guests to share their insights, including Michael Chai (Westec Media Limited), a film distributor from Cambodia, Kinnie Cheung (Entertaining Power Co. Limited), a film producer and executive producer from Hong Kong, Richard Juan (28 Squared Studios Philippines), a Chinese-Filipino film producer, Shures Ratnakrishnan (Suraya Filem Production and Distribution Malaysia), a film producer and distributor from Malaysia, and YK Tung (GSC Movies Malaysia), a film distributor and cinema operator from Malaysia. The speakers talked about the popular film genres and themes in their respective regions, which serve as a reference for Hong Kong filmmakers. Having these film industry professionals getting to know each other creates possibilities for future international co-productions.
The forum closed with “Global Ambitions: Pioneering Strategies for Commercial Success” panel, featuring producer John Chong and Angus Chan, shared the behind-the-scenes stories of “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” and the way to make a successful commercial film, as well as the overall development of Hong Kong films in recent years.
“Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” which recently grossed over HKD 100 million at the Hong Kong box office, had a full house screening in Cambodia. Executive producer Angus Chan and presenter John Chong shared the story development process and the difficulties encountered during the film’s preparation, as well as some interesting behind-the-scenes stories. While actor Jozev Kiu shared his experience of being an action actor for the first time and detailed the preparation and training he did for his role.
This was the first time for director Ricky Ko and actress Larine Tang of “Out of the Shadow” to conduct a post-screening session in Cambodia, they felt very excited and honored. Larine Tang expressed, “This is my first overseas promotion experience for a film, and I have gained deeper understanding of Cambodian culture and the film market through this trip.” Ricky Ko hopes to have more opportunities for co-production and in-depth exchanges with local filmmakers in the future, and to explore more international cooperation opportunities.
Producer Kinnie Cheung met the audience after the screening of “As it Burns”, where she shared in detail about the creative process and the challenges in the filmmaking process, allowing the audience to gain a deeper understanding of the story and the efforts made by the film crew. Cheung stated: “I hope that through these exchange activities, more people would pay attention to and support the development of Asian cinema.”
In addition to the post-screening sharing, Hong Kong filmmakers visited the first Dolby Atmos certified film mixing studio in Cambodia – Kong Chak Pictures. This studio is equipped with advanced technology and facilities, attracting domestic and foreign filmmakers to visit and collaborate for their projects. Cambodian producer and studio head Loy Te shared the experience of international film post-production collaboration, emphasizing the importance of working with professionals from around the world, and the vision of cultivating local post-production talents in the future.
Actor Jozev Kiu from “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” attended a discussion with well-known Cambodian action actress Tharoth Sam and director Jimmy Henderson of “Jailbreak”, the first Cambodian produced action blockbuster, at the Bophana audiovisual resource Center.
Director Ricky Ko of “Out of the Shadow” also joined a new director sharing session at the Bophana Center. In a relaxing setting, new directors from different regions exchanged their future filming plans and shared their insights and experiences on the path of directing.
During the “Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation”, the Hong Kong filmmakers who visited Cambodia were interviewed by various local media, including Cambodian television channels, the major local English media outlet Khmer Times, online media Jaikon, and Oh Wow Media. These interviews not only showcased the charm of Hong Kong cinema, but also promoted cultural exchange between the two places. Hong Kong media outlets were also invited to join the delegation and report on the event. They closely followed and interviewed the filmmakers, detailing their experiences in the filmmaking process. The in-depth coverage by the Hong Kong media has allowed more people to understand and follow the development of Hong Kong cinema.
Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation Screening Schedule:
3 July (Wed) Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In: 19:35
4 July (Thu) Out of Shadow: 19:00
5 July (Fri) As It Burns: 19:00
6 July (Sat) Fly Me to the Moon: 14:00
6 July (Sat) The Goldfinger: 16:15
7 July (Sun) I Did It My Way: 14:00
7 July (Sun) In the Mood for Love: 16:30
The Dynamic Cityscapes of Hong Kong Films Exhibition
Date: 4 July – 4 August 2024
Opening Hours : 10.00 AM – 7.00 PM
Location: Factory Phnom Penh (No. 1159, National Road No. 2)
Tickets: Free Admission
Information: In English and Khmer
Leaflet
Asian Film Awards Academy
The Asian Film Awards Academy, a non-profit organization, was founded by Busan, Hong Kong and Tokyo International Film Festivals with the shared goal of celebrating excellence in Asian cinema. Aiming to promote and recognise Asian films and its talents, AFAA highlights, strengthens and develops Asian film industry through the annual Asian Film Awards and several year-round initiatives.
Our year-round events and programmes are held with the objectives to promote Asian films to a wider audience, expand the film market within Asia, and build and sustain connections among Hong Kong and international film professional. Masterclass Series – in conversation with filmmakers, Journey to the fest – Student Visit to International Film Festivals, Asian Cinerama – Film Roadshow, and Young Film Professionals Programme – overseas training and work-placement, are examples of our year-round programmes. These programmes could not have held successfully without the financial support of Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), formerly known as Create Hong Kong, and Film Development Fund (FDF) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government. AFAA has worked to promote, educate, inform and develop knowledge, skills and interest in Asian cinema among the industry, students and audiences in Asia and beyond with the support of film festivals and cultural organizations.
Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency
CCIDA, formerly known as Create Hong Kong is established in June 2024and is a dedicated office set up by the HKSAR Government under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. It provides one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conductive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, cultural and creative sectors as industries.
Film Development Fund
The FDF was first set up by the Government in 1999 to support projects conducive to the long-term development of the film industry in Hong Kong. Since 2005, the HKSAR Government has injected a total of $1.54 billion into FDF to support Hong Kong’s film industry along four strategic directions, namely nurturing talent, enhancing local production, expanding markets and building audience. In the past, FDF has supported a number of film productions and other film-related projects through various film production funding schemes and other film-related project schemes.
Please contact us if any questions,
Email: info@afa-academy.com
Tel: +852 3195 0608
Website: www.afa-academy.com
