First Feature Film Initiative (FFFI)

The First Feature Film Initiative ("FFFI") was first launched in March 2013 to identify new talents through a competition on screenplay and production proposals. FFFI is supported by the Hong Kong Film Development Council ("HKFDC") and funding is made available from the Film Development Fund ("FDF") for the winning new directors and their film production teams to make their first feature films.

FFFI provides Government funding to winning teams in the form of cash prizes. The aim of the FFFI is to support new directors and their film production teams to make their first feature films on a commercial basis in order to nurture talents for the film industry.

• FFFI takes the form of a competition. The competition is divided into: Higher Education Institution Group ("HEIG") and Professional Group ("PG"), with each group being awarded a maximum of three prizes. The winning teams of the HEIG and the PG will be awarded a maximum of $5 million and $8 million respectively to make their first feature films.
• The winning teams are required to complete the whole film production and sales process, involving planning, shooting and distribution, and acquire practical knowledge in planning and making a feature film.
• Each participating team is required to submit a screenplay and production proposal which shall contain: logline, synopsis, character description, treatment, full screenplay, detailed production plan (including schedule), names of cast and crew members (attaching letters/statements of intent from the main cast and main film crew members), production budget and marketing forecast. No substantial changes of the screenplay and production proposals after submission are allowed without approval.
• Each team may only submit one application and participate in either of the competition under the HEIG or the PG.

• Each participating team shall comprise at least a director, a producer and a screenwriter. The director and the producer shall not be the same person.
• Each and every director (if more than one director) of a participating team shall not have previously shot any commercial film with a running time of 80 minutes or longer and shall be a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 18 years or above.
• Each and every producer (if more than one producer) of a participating team shall be a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 18 years or above.
• At least one of the screenwriters of a participating team shall be a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 18 years or above.
• Apart from the director(s), producer(s) and screenwriter(s), there shall be at least one Hong Kong permanent resident in each of the following nine positions: leading actor, leading actress, cinematography, action design, art direction, costume design, editing, music scoring/sound effect and visual effect.

• The director(s) of a participating team in the HEIG shall be a student or graduate of not more than ten years from film/TV production or similar disciplines of a local or overseas higher education institute or a professional school.
• The producer(s) of a participating team must -
  1. have participated in the production of at least two feature films publicly exhibited in Hong Kong in the past 20 years in the capacity of a presenter (出品人)/producer (監製) (not including executive producer (執行監製) and assistant producer (助理監製))/director/director of cinematography/art director (with at least one occasion as a producer); or
  2. have participated in the production of at least three feature films publicly exhibited in Hong Kong in the past 10 years in the capacity of an executive producer (執行監製); and
  3. be a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 18 or above.
• To ensure that a participating team possesses reasonable knowledge and skills in film production, a participating team shall be screened and nominated by one of the following local higher education institutions or institutions under the Vocational Training Council providing film/TV production or similar programmes.
  • The Hong Kong Academy for Performance Arts
  • Hong Kong Baptist University
  • The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  • City University of Hong Kong
  • Hong Kong Metropolitan University
  • Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (Lee Wai Lee)
  • Hong Kong Design Institute
  • The University of Hong Kong
  • The Chinese University of Hong Kong
  • Chu Hai College of Higher Education
  • The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong

• The director(s) of a participating team in the PG must be a member of the local film industry who possesses filmmaking or related experience; or who has previously won in local major short film competitions or a film industry member who has returned from overseas.
• The producer(s) of a participating team must -
  1. have participated in the production of at least two feature films publicly exhibited in Hong Kong in the past 20 years in the capacity of a presenter (出品人) or producer (監製) (not including executive producer (執行監製) and assistant producer (助理監製)) (with at least one occasion as a producer); or
  2. have participated in the production of at least three feature films publicly exhibited in Hong Kong in the past 10 years in the capacity of an executive producer (執行監製); and
  3. be a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 18 or above.
• For the PG, a producer can only take up the post of producer (including co- producer) of one participating team in the same competition. For the avoidance of doubt, a producer may still participate in this round of competition even if he or she is a producer or co-producer for other film projects which were awarded in previous rounds of the FFFI.
• Quota system does not apply to PG. Participants of the PG may submit their applications to the Secretariat of the HKFDC direct.

No application fee is charged. Applicants should refer to the respective Guides to Application for details on application procedures and eligibility criteria. Application Forms and Guides to Application can be downloaded here:

The application period of the 8th FFFI is closed on 28 September 2023.