Asian Film Awards to up glam factor for HK Entertainment Expo 2008

17 March 2008

Hong Kong – The Asian Film Awards (AFA) will raise the curtain for the month-long Hong Kong Entertainment Expo 2008 with a dash of glamour. To be held March 17, 2008 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, the kudos event in its second year, will be graced by regional celebrities, artistes and filmmakers including Joan Chen, Hou Hsiao-Hsien, Vivian Hsu, Jet Li, Song Hye Gyo, Stephanie Sun, Tsai Ming Liang, Asano Tadanobu, Nakatani Miki Yamada Yoji and Shawn Yue.
Organized by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) and sponsored by the Hong Kong Development Fund and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the AFA aims to acknowledge and honour the best of Asian films.
Award categories include best film, director, actor, actress, screenwriter, cinematographer, production designer, composer, editor and visual effects.
Officiating the ceremony are Henry Tsang, acting chief executive of Hong Kong SAR; Jack So, chairman, HKTDC and Hong Kong Film Development Council; Frederick Ma, secretary for commerce and economic development; Wilfred Wong chairman, HKIFFS; along with Hong Kong entertainment ambassador, veteran actor Tony Leong Chiu Wai.
The AFA, along with the TV and film market Hong Kong FILMART which also opened March 17, are two of nine key events of the Entertainment Expo 2008 which promotes the film, TV, music and digital entertainment business in Asia, as well as Hong Kong as a regional content production and distribution hub. Other core events that run till April 13 include the Hong Kong – Asia Financing Forum (HAF); Hong Kong Music Fair; IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Awards; the Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum and the Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards.