Macao directors Bosco Tang and Galilee Ma will be among the 16 young filmmakers who will attend a new International Film Camp (IFC) organised by the Asian Film Awards (AFA), set to take place in Macao between 9 and 13 April.
The IFC will see the 16 participants participate in discussions and masterclasses with film experts such as directors Mabel Cheung and Amanda Nell Eu. Afterwards, judges will award eight of the aspiring filmmakers with HK$300,000 (US$38,000) to use for their short film projects based on the topic of “My Hometown.”
“The film camp provides an excellent opportunity to discover, assist and nurture the next generation of filmmakers not only in Hong Kong and Macao, but also in the rest of the Greater Bay Area,” said Hong Kong film producer and “chief mentor” of the camp, Terence Chang, in a recent video.
Speaking to Macao News, Tang said that he was “incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity,” which has “classes covering all aspects of filmmaking.” He said that he was particularly drawn to screenwriting and directing and was “looking forward to meeting all the esteemed mentors and fellow participants, and hearing stories about their filmmaking journeys.”
[See more: Want to fund your Macao film? Apply now]
Ma, who is currently based in Taiwan, was also thrilled about the prospect of meeting other directors from around Asia, telling Macao News “I’m very curious about the perspectives of other [participants] on the topic of ‘My Hometown’ as well.”
She noted that her project, Pop It, has a fantasy storyline that is rooted in her family’s migratory history. The young director said she hoped that the camp would allow her to “explore the possibility of shooting the short film in both Macao and Taiwan.”
Other young filmmakers who have been selected to join the camp include Tao Okamoto from Japan, who is best known as a model and actress in films such as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Mainland Chinese director, Lan Tian, who helped to shoot the behind-the-scenes documentaries for two films by renowned filmmaker, Jiang Wen.
According to AFA chairman Wilfred Wong, the 16 participants were selected from a group of 550 candidates between the ages of 21 and 41. As part of the selection process, each aspiring filmmaker was required to deliver a proposal for a short film based on the topic of “My Hometown” and undergo online interviews.
