The 6th First Feature Film Initiative (FFFI), administered by Create Hong Kong under the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB), will be open for applications from tomorrow (June 3) to August 15. Young talent and their production teams who wish to join the film industry are encouraged to participate. The maximum number of winning teams and the sponsorship will be increased from this edition onward.
A spokesman for the CEDB said, "The FFFI aims to identify and nurture prospective film production talent, with a view to promoting the sustainable development of Hong Kong's film industry. With the new injection of $1 billion into the Film Development Fund (FDF) pursuant to the 2018 Policy Address, we will enhance our support for young talent. From this edition onward, we will double the maximum number of winning teams to six and increase the sponsorship by around 50 per cent. Coupled with the continued support of the film trade, the enhanced scheme will encourage more young people to join the film industry and help them realise their dreams."
The FFFI takes the form of a competition. The competition is divided into the Higher Education Institution Group (HEIG) and the Professional Group (PG). There will be a maximum of three winners each for the HEIG and the PG, and the sponsorship for each winning team of the HEIG and the PG will increase to $5 million and $8 million respectively. The winning teams will be fully subsidised to implement their film proposals as their first commercial feature films. The director of the team should not have previously directed any commercial film of 80 minutes or more.
The FFFI has identified 13 new directors since its inception in 2013. The Initiative not only gives a fresh impetus to the talent pool of Hong Kong's film industry, but has also brought to the audience an array of quality films.
For details of the application guidelines and assessment criteria, please visit the FFFI Facebook page (www.facebook.com/HKFFFI) or Create Hong Kong's website (www.createhk.gov.hk/fffi/en).
Ends/Sunday, June 2, 2019
Issued at HKT 15:05
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