Expo connects global exhibitors with film industry resources

The H!Market Exhibition -- one of the key parts of the ongoing Second Hainan Island International Film Festival, or HIIFF -- opened on Dec 2 to great expectations.

Its organizers said it provides the chance for over 250 film committees, enterprises and institutions from home and abroad to get match makings with film industry resources.

Launched in July this year, H!Market has drawn great attention from film circles around the world. Of all the exhibitors, 21 percent hail from overseas. 

Film development and production companies and publicity and distribution companies take up nearly 28 percent and 11 percent respectively of the total participating exhibitors.

In addition, film and television post-production companies, internet platforms, literary copyright companies, film studio representatives, government agencies and non-profit organizations are also taking part. 

This year marked the inception of H!Market and the organizing committee invited Pascal Diot to be a consultant. He is founder and director of the Venice Production Bridge and a film market consultant for the Tokyo International Film Festival.

The HIIFF and the market segments it covers play an important role in the Chinese and Asian film markets, according to Diot.

The H!Market is striving to create different qualities than other film festival market exhibitions and the organizing committee is focusing on emerging areas such as film studio promotions and intellectual property trade, said the H!Market consultant.  

Many of Hainan's local enterprises are also seeking opportunities at the expo.

"We hope to find suitable investors through the exhibition," said Chen Xiao, chairman of Hainan Lejing Film and Television Culture Media.

"We can team up to contribute and boost Hainan's film industry and put Hainan's local film industry development in the spotlight," he added. 

It could be a long and arduous journey for Hainan to cultivate the film market, according to Diot. He said that H! Market had just started and they were willing to spend three to five years marketing it and raising its profile in the market.

Officials said that in the future, the H!Market will strive to build a new starting point for the Asian film market by taking advantage of the preferential policies brought by the construction of Hainan Pilot Free Trade Zone and Free Trade Port, introducing professional industrial thinking and improving its structures and layout.

The H!Market Exhibition opens on Dec 2. [Photo/hinews.cn]