The Festival of Young Cinema (Asia-Europe) is set to showcase a diverse range of emerging talent from East Asia, including Chinese director Huo Meng, Taiwanese actor Lee Hong-chi, and Macau-based Maxim Bessmertny. This inaugural event, taking place from January 5-11, 2024, aims to bridge the gap between the Chinese market and the production and sales industries behind art-house cinema in Europe and other parts of Asia.
A Platform for Emerging Filmmakers
The festival will kick off with a gala screening of Ning Hao’s “The Movie Emperor” and a showing of the restored version of Yonfan’s “Bugis Street.” This exciting initiative is spearheaded by Marco Mueller, a seasoned industry professional with extensive experience in leading creative positions at renowned film festivals in Locarno, Rome, Venice, and Beijing. Mueller also played a significant role in establishing the International Film Festival & Awards Macao (IFFAM) in 2016.
The Project Market
A panel of industry experts, including Singapore-based producer Jeremy Chua, festival director Deepti DCunha, producer Wang Yang, scriptwriter Wang Yixin, and production and sales executive Esther Yeung, will evaluate a variety of projects from Greater China. These projects include “The Wind is Unstoppable” by director Huo Meng, “The Fruit” by Li Dongmei, “Stars and the Moon” by Tang Yongkang, “The Botanist in the White House” by director Jing Yi, “I Am the Happiest Baby in the World” by actor turned director Lee Hong-Chi, “Man Without Woman” by Chang Biao, “Aroma Dream” by Ma Xue, “Water Can Go Anywhere” by Fang Liang, “Another Green World” by Wang Kejing, “Twenty-Four Flavors” by Elaine Huang, and “When the Bottle Turns” by Tibetan writer-director Luo Dan.
A Global Perspective
The festival will also feature Macanese and international projects, including “Revisit” from director Huang Tingting, “The Violin Case” by Macau-based writer-director-producer Maxim Bessmertny, “Chasing the Sun” (A la Poursuite du Soleil) directed by Huang Ruosong and set in France, and “Birth” by Cici Li, a renowned director of commercial films venturing into the world of art-house cinema.
For more information about the Festival of Young Cinema (Asia-Europe) and its exciting lineup of projects, visit F5mag.com.