FEATUREFOCUS n DISTRIBUTIONIN HONG KONG Step Up 3D was Hong Kong’s top independent foreign film in 2010


Japan’s Confessions was a hit in Hong Kong


Packed houses H


ong Kong, with its annual box office of around $172m, is dwarfed by the main- land China market, but it remains a ter- ritory where independent films can be


sold freely without import quotas or major cen- sorship concerns. It is also a vibrant market — in 2010 box


office grew by around 13% in line with a growth trajectory stretching back four years. But as in many other Asian markets, the growth is mostly due to new multiplex openings and premium ticket prices for 3D movies. Local distributors say it has become tougher than ever to release independent foreign films. Their challenges range from local market


conditions to global issues such as a reduction in the volume of available product. “It’s becoming much more difficult to find good independent movies,” says Edko Films’ general manager of sales and acquisitions Audrey Lee. “The US stu- dios have cut back on production, so they’re buy- ing independent product to fill the pipeline.” Back in their home market, distributors strug-


gle to secure screens as exhibitors lean towards 3D tentpoles with higher ticket prices. Even dis- tributors affiliated to one of Hong Kong’s four major cinema chains find this a problem. “Six to eight pictures are opening each weekend so eve- ryone is struggling with the limited number of screens,” says Belinda Tang, head of Hong Kong operations for Orange Sky Golden Harvest. “Of course we can use our own theatres but we still need to book into other circuits.” Another common gripe is the sorry state of


Resident Evil: Afterlife


Will pre-buying international projects become more popular with Hong Kong distributors as they fight for screens and good-quality product in this lively market? Liz Shackleton reports


ancillary markets: video is all but dead in Hong Kong, the territory only has one major free-to- air television buyer in TVB and pay-TV is also limited. “We can only get second window pay- TV from companies like Cable TV and [IPTV player] Now TV which is two and a half years after theatrical,” says Deltamac Hong Kong’s senior distribution and marketing manager Gilky Wan. “The first window is retained by regional broadcasters who prefer Asian or US studio films.” Meanwhile, marketing costs continue to rise


in this small but highly evolved media market. “Options are limited because there are no new outlets, but there’s a lot of media so you can’t just focus on one,” says Golden Scene managing director Winnie Tsang. Yet despite this catalogue of woes, there is a


surprisingly high number of distributors in Hong Kong and new players keep emerging. Last year, veteran producer and property developer Hsu Feng launched Tomson International Entertain- ment Distribution, which aims to be involved in film financing, international sales and talent management, in addition to distribution. Such a competitive environment is naturally a


boon for international sales companies selling into Hong Kong — especially those with inde- pendent 3D product — and prices are going through the roof. Three of last year’s top 10 inde- pendent foreign films were 3D releases, includ- ing the top two: Step Up 3D and Resident Evil: Afterlife (see chart, right). However audiences are becoming more aware of the amount of 3D each


n 14 Screen International at Filmart/HAF/HKIFF March 22, 2011


‘Everyone is struggling with the limited number of


film really contains and exhibitors have been reducing ticket prices for some releases. Outside the 3D craze, recognisable franchises,


screens’ Belinda Tang, Orange Sky Golden Harvest


such as the Twilight series, and big star vehicles continue to lead the way. Times are more difficult than ever for arthouse or non English-language product, despite the fact Hong Kong has histori- cally had a discerning audience. The territory now only has three cinemas which screen spe- cialty product — Broadway’s Cinematheque and Palace IFC and the Grand, co-owned by MCL and Shaw Brothers. Even mainstream Japanese and Korean films — once a mainstay of the Hong Kong box office


HONG KONG TOP 10 INDEPENDENT FOREIGN FILMS, 2010 FILM (ORIGIN)


DISTRIBUTOR 1 StepUp 3D (US)


2ResidentEvil:Afterlife 3D (Ger-FrUK) 3 The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (US) 4 Aftershock (Chi) 5 Salt (US)


6 Confessions (Jap)


7 The Expendables (US) 8 True Legend (Chi) 9 Piranha 3D (US)


10 The Borrowers (Jap)


Golden Scene Edko Films


Golden Scene


Media Asia Distribution Anytime Pictures


Emperor &UA Films


RELEASE DATE


GROSS


Aug 12 $2.5m Sept 30 $2.4m June 30 $2m July 22 $1.95m July 22 $1.5m Oct 14 $1.4m


Panorama &Golden Scene Aug 26 $1.35m Edko Films


Feb 11 $1.3m


Sundream Motion Pictures Sept 9 $1.2m Intercontinental


Dec 25 $975,000 »


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24