Hong Kong’s film and television industries are counting down to the opening of the annual FILMART on 17 March and the arrival of more than 750 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions. The four-day market is one of nine events – including the new Hong Kong Film Music Fiesta – in the six-week Entertainment Expo, which runs from 16 March to 27 April. 

In addition to the inaugural music fiesta, the nine events are the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market, EntertainmentPulse, Hong Kong International Film Festival, Hong Kong Film Awards, Asian Film Awards, Digital Entertainment Summit, Hong Kong–Asia Film Financing Forum, and the Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music). 

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), which coordinates the events, said this evening that the festival “is set to be the biggest yet, injecting fresh vitality into Hong Kong’s entertainment sector and heralding in a new vision”. Leon Lai continues to front the initiative as Hong Kong Entertainment Ambassador for 2025. 

Three Government agencies have contributed to Expo funding – the HKSAR’s Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), Film Development Fund, and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau – which is part of the broader Arts March Hong Kong. 

Hong Kong FILMART

The 29th Filmart will run from 17-20 March features more than 30 regional pavilions, including  together more than 750 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions, and features more than 30 regional pavilions. This year, Australia, Cambodia, France, India, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam will host new pavilions while emerging markets including Czech Republic and Kazakhstan, join for the first time. 

New FILMART initiatives this year are headlined by Producers Connect – a collaborative effort between the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, CCIDA, Hong Kong Film Development Council, and the HKTDC, funded by the Film Development Fund.

The programme involves a series of events, including a panel discussion, fireside chats, workshops and business matching activities. The HKTDC says the aim is to forge "valuable networks for emerging and renowned producers from Hong Kong and around the world, to steer more co-productions, while supporting up-and-coming talents".  

Ther HKTDC says it is responding to the global digital transformation sweeping across the film and TV production world with the AI Hub pilot programme, in collaboration with the Association of Motion Picture Post Production Professionals and the Movie Producers and Distributors Association of Hong Kong. The Hub comprising an exhibition zone, conference panel and forums designed to promote AI usage across the filmmaking process, and spotlight AI solutions. 

Beyond the physical event, the FILMART Online IP Catalogue will be open until 27 April.  

EntertainmentPulse

The four-day EntertainmentPulse conference gathers global entertainment industry leaders to discuss the outlook and development of the Asian markets. Key topics include Asian animation, ASEAN market development and video streaming, along with risk management in cross-border co-productions and a special focos on AI opportunities. 

Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF)

From 10 to 21 April, the 49th HKIFF presents the theme “Dialogue – Conversation of Film” with actress Angela Yuen serving as festival ambassador. Screen icon Louis Koo takes centre stage as Filmmaker in Focus, with a curated retrospective of 10 works highlighting his enduring impact on Hong Kong cinema.

Catalonian virtuoso Albert Serra will conduct a masterclass, where the contemporary auteur will present his latest documentary "Afternoons of Solitude" and share insights into his signature long-take aesthetic. The highly acclaimed Finnish director Juho Kuosmanen will also be featured, presenting his latest film, "Silent Trilogy". Filmmakers from France, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Taiwan are also expected to be in Hong Kong for the event.  

Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA)

The 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony will take place at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre on 27 April. 

This year's nominations showcase Hong Kong cinema's diverse creative prowess "The Last Dance", Hong Kong's highest-grossing Chinese-language film to date, leads with 18 nominations, followed closely by "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In" with 14 nominations.

Asian Film Awards (AFA)

The 18th Asian Film Awards will take place at the Xiqu Centre on 16 March and feature 30 films from 25 countries and regions competing across 16 categories. Action star and director Sammo Hung chairs this year's jury.

Korean film "Exhuma" dominates with 11 nominations, including Best Film and Best Director followed by Hong Kong's action epic "Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In" with nine nominations.

Japanese director Daihachi Yoshida's black-and-white film "Teki Cometh" and Indian director Payal Kapadia's "All We Imagine as Light" each received six nominations.

Hong Kong films "Papa" and "The Last Dance" garnered three nominations each, with Sean Lau and Michael Hui competing for Best Actor, and Maggie Li Lin Lin received her first Best Supporting Actress nomination for "All Shall Be Well".

Digital Entertainment Summit

The 14th Digital Entertainment Summit, themed “Unlock Opportunities of the Dynamic Animation Market and Productions in Asia”, organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council, co-organised by Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Association and Hong Kong International Film Festival Society, will convene at the FILMART on 19 March. 

Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF)

This years edition received nearly 400 submissions from 45 countries and regions, including Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Korea, Thailand and Turkey, with 48 projects selected.

The  lineup includes projects produced by Hirokazu Kore-eda, Stanley Kwan, Lee Sinje, with a cast of veteran actors and rising stars from Lee Kang-Sheng to Kadowaki Mugi, Fan Bingbing, Jennifer Yu, Jack Tan and Qu Chuxiao and spans action, sci-fi, fantasy, suspense, horror, and disaster genres.

A new independent section is dedicated to animated feature films at various production stages. The three-day forum will run concurrently with FILMART from 17-19 March, will facilitate business matching and networking opportunities to drive Asian film industry development.

Hong Kong Film Music Fiesta

The  Hong Kong Film Music Fiesta organised by the Hong Kong Film Composers’ Association will be staged at the HKCEC on 18 March. The theme is “Echoes of Order and Chaos”. The concert will be led by music directors Tomy Wai and Julian Chan, reinterpreting the dynamics of Hong Kong’s crime films, paying tribute to distinguished filmmakers and composers including Benny Chan, Teddy Robin, and Kawai Kenji, and showcasing the unique charm of Hong Kong film music.

Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music)

The 12th Microfilm Production Support Scheme (Music) Awards Ceremony will take place on 20 March. The initiative empowers 22 emerging teams and 10 established production houses with grants ranging from HK$130,000 to HK$240,000. Participating filmmakers benefit from comprehensive mentorship in screenwriting, directing, and other facets of production.