Events

2015 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and Market

NAE for the first time participated in the biggest short film festival in Europe – the 2015 Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and Market. By setting up booth at the Market and organising market screenings for awarded Hong Kong short films, the NAE organiser aims to facilitate the local short film sector in proactively participating in international film markets, with a view to building connections with distributors, broadcasters, festival organisers and sales agents from around the world, exploring new markets for Hong Kong short films, and bringing commercial benefits to local short film and animation filmmakers.

Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and Market took place for five days between 2 and 6 February 2015 at Clermont-Ferrand, France. Setting up a booth at the Market and organizing two market screenings on 3 February and 5 February to showcase 15 awarded Hong Kong short films to overseas audiences, NAE proactively introduced and promoted outstanding local short films and animations. Under the sponsorship of NAE, 10 filmmakers attended the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and Market. These filmmakers included Wong Yee-lam, awarded Best Script, Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival (Open Division); Chan Wai-man, awarded 4th Prize, TBS Digicon6 Awards (Hong Kong Region); Cheng Oi-yu, awarded Special Mention, Hong Kong Documentary Award, Chinese Documentary Festival; Chu Hoi-ying, awarded Outstanding Documentary Award, Global Chinese Universities Student Film and Television Festival Awards; Chan Tsz-shun, awarded Best Film (Fiction) Gold / Best Original Music Silver / Best Screenplay Gold, Hong Kong InterSchool Film Awards; Pak Tsz-kiu, awarded Bronze Award, Best Digital Entertainment (Animation), Hong Kong ICT Awards; Lui Wing-tung, awarded Best Micro-film Drama Bronze, Hong Kong Mobile Film Festival; Ng Kai-chung and Ng Tsz-ching, awarded Gold Award, ifva Awards (Animation Category); Fuk Pak-to Jim, recommended director of the Jumping Frames International Dance Video Festival; as well as Nicola Fan, recommended director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Short Film Competition. During the trip, the directors introduced their works to overseas audiences, attended screenings at the Festival, and met with international festival curators, filmmakers and press.

NEW ACTION EXPRESS Short Film Highlights – Market Screening (programme 1)

Date: 03 Feb 2015
Time: 18:00
Duration: 92’29”
Venue: Georges-Conchon Theatre, Clermont-Ferrand, France

	Fall Wong Yee-lam This is a story of fall: of falling into traps and for lies and scams, of falling in love and falling out of love, and of falling for your own lies and falling back into the old ways, spectacularly.
	Primal War Kwai Bun Hong Kong 2033, Victoria Harbour is plagued by alien life forms spawned from the sky. Controlled by a mysterious lady in black, thousands of aliens mobilize itself from their lair to the bridge.
	Blind Vision Leecat Ho “Blind Vision” is a story about blindness. The inner world of a blind person’s mind will be visualized by the animation.
	Via Dolorosa Cheng Oi-yue Jo Two years ago, the director made a film about an elderly scavenger in Sham Shui Po. Last year, by chance, the director was back to the area once again to film the homeless living under the flyover.
	Disappearing in Central Chu Hoi-ying In the 70s and 80s, the printing industry was extremely active in Hong Kong, especially in Central and Sheung Wan districts. Not only have the old skills and color of Hong Kong been disappearing, but also the human warmth associated with the industry.
	Journey of Headwind Chan Tsz-shun The date of the singing contest approaches. The hearing impaired Pui-chi and the lonely Chi-yan face various difficulties as they try to fulfill their youthful dreams.
	YETI Joe Kwun Yeti is a story about learning to care. Yeti was a young strong big foot who was also very helpful. He was upset about getting old and not as strong, and became an introvert.

NEW ACTION EXPRESS Short Film Highlights – Market Screening (programme 2)

Date: 05 Feb 2015
Time: 14:00
Duration: 98’ 44”
Venue: Georges-Conchon Theatre, Clermont-Ferrand, France

	Let’s Say Fuk Pak-to Young choreographer Li De collaborates with veteran cinematographer Fukpakjim to present a refreshing short work that focuses on modern communication issues between people. Three scenes, three dances, one message: Stop Phubbing.
	Beautiful Life Chan Ho-lun Fredie Yayang is an Indonesian girl who came to Hong Kong and work, dreaming to improve her quality of life in Indonesia someday. Yet, she is hired as domestic helper by a grassroots family that has unstable financial status.
	The Tide Yim Sheung-man Sean Contrary to its name, this Hong Kong underground band, Against the Tide, is exhausted, after several years of floating ups and downs.
	The Crazy Night Chan ka-yin Story begins with a misunderstood smile and a wink, which kicks off a speed race of cartoon magnitude between a minibus driver and an old man. Meanwhile, the passengers inside the bus become stoically affected by what is going on.
	Celtic - The Dream Fighter Pak Tsz-kiu “CELTIC – The Dream Fighter”, the idea of story bases on a Japanese comic which is full of passion and fighting plot. The story takes place in an old and mysterious tribe, two brave warriors are going to start their survival battle.
	The Eve Nicola Fan" A music video debut for a Hong Kong based band, Sonic MSG. "The Eve" is a call for self-reflection in our diverse and complex world.
	The Missed Call Lui Wing-tung Photographer Chun missed her girlfriend Fion’s call because he’s working hard in studio. Two days later, Chun cannot found Fion, he received a call that led him to another place to find Fion.
	Tale of Rebellious Stone Ng Kai-chung, Ng Tsz-ching A stone, with its unflawed surface, was carved and polished by beliefs and rules. Yet the core is raw. The more eager you try to smoothen it, the more eager it indulges itself. Its untamed nature is no longer to be restrained.

Aside from the two NAE market screenings during the Festival period, four shortlisted Hong Kong productions will also be shown at the “China Programmes” at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and Market. The four short films include: shortlisted for Festival Paris Cinema and nominated Best Short Film of Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival – Wong Chun’s 6th March (2012); recommended title by the Beijing College Student Film Festival, a story about the struggles at the Yau Ma Tei fruit market – Lam See-chit’s Twenty Dollars (2011); awarded Special Statuette and Diploma Award at the World Student Film Festival, Poland – Chow Kwun-wai’s Upstairs (2006); as well as awarded Best Drama Award of the South Taiwan Film Festival, an accusation of the deformed educational system in Hong Kong – Tsim Ho-tat’s True Story of Ah Poon (2010).