FilMart: 30 Years as Asia’s Key Film & TV Market | Variety
Hong Kong’s FilMart is celebrating three decades as a pivotal force in the Asian film and television industry. What began in as a regional trade hub has evolved into a global meeting point for producers, distributors and innovators, consistently mirroring the dynamic changes within the entertainment landscape.
This year’s edition, currently running through at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, marks a significant milestone. The market’s origins were rooted in a need to address a critical gap in the global film trade infrastructure, according to Candas Yeung, associate director of service promotion at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the event organizer. “While Hong Kong was already celebrated as the ‘Hollywood of the East,’ the industry lacked a centralized, home-ground business platform in Asia,” Yeung explained. “FilMart was designed to be that bridge – providing a familiar, efficient environment where international distributors could connect with Chinese mainland studios and Asian producers.”
Over the past thirty years, FilMart has broadened its scope from a primarily regional marketplace to a truly international platform. Participants now hail from Europe, the Americas, and across Asia, reflecting a growing appetite for cross-cultural content and co-productions. The focus has shifted beyond simply buying and selling distribution rights for finished films and television programs to encompass a wider spectrum of opportunities, including IP collaboration, remake rights, licensing, animation, and digital entertainment.
Several strategic industry developments have fueled FilMart’s growth. The Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) proved catalytic, fostering cross-border co-productions that enabled Chinese mainland projects to gain international exposure while simultaneously providing global companies with easier access to the mainland market. Two years later, the launch of Entertainment Expo Hong Kong – bundling FilMart with the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) and the Hong Kong Film Awards – amplified the market’s profile and solidified Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s entertainment hub. Further integration with the Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) expanded FilMart into a comprehensive platform covering the entire value chain, from script financing to global distribution.
“The evolution of FilMart has been both geographic and industrial,” Yeung notes. “Today, our dual roles as a ‘superconnector’ and ‘super value-adder’ stand us in good stead. We do more than connecting buyers and sellers; we add value by helping international companies navigate the regional market, providing professional services for IP trading while simultaneously spotlighting Asian content on the international stage.”
The most significant shift, Yeung points out, has been in the very nature of the industry itself. “When we started, FilMart was about buying and selling film and TV distribution rights. Today, the transaction is no longer limited to finished films or TV programs; it encompasses a much wider spectrum, including IP collaboration, remake rights, licensing and cross-media content.” This expansion extends to novel genres and content forms, such as animation and digital entertainment.
Increasingly, the human connection is central to the market’s success. “As the trend of cross-border collaboration and co-production is rising, the need for connection is paramount,” Yeung says. “That is why we are bringing global producers together under the Producers Connect program, fostering the relationships necessary for these complex projects.”
The 30th edition features enhanced programs, including the AI Hub, Producers Connect, and the newly launched AI Academy, offering over 15 hands-on workshops. Organizers expect over 790 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions to converge on Hong Kong, with expanded pavilions from the Chinese mainland and first-time participation from several emerging markets.
Recognizing the importance of ongoing engagement, FilMart has also invested in digital infrastructure. “Post-pandemic, we recognized that online engagement and business matching are more important than ever,” Yeung explains. “To address this, we built an online IP catalog to facilitate business matching, extending business communication and discussions well beyond the physical market floor.”
As streaming platforms, AI-generated content, and short-form dramas continue to reshape global consumption patterns, FilMart’s enduring value lies in its physical marketplace and curated networking opportunities. The market isn’t simply looking back at three decades of success; it’s actively preparing for the next era of entertainment. “By staying ahead of technological trends while deepening our role as a trusted global connector, FilMart will continue to be the essential bridge where the world’s entertainment industry converges to create, collaborate, and grow,” Yeung concludes.