Having a chairman who's one of Hong Kong's most well-connected entrepreneurs surely has its advantages for the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF). Under the aegis of Wilfred Wong Ying-wai - whose low public profile belies his political ambition - the HKIFF has shown aspirations to grandeur rarely seen in its 32-year history. And Wong, a National People's Congress deputy and chairman of the Hong Kong Baptist University, is keen to continue the trend.
As recently as five years ago, the festival was still largely viewed as a cinephile's event, focusing on films which rarely get a showing in mainstream cinemas. This year, the three-week festival will kick off with the Asian Film Awards and the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), which are geared towards the business side of the industry.
The pageantry of the launch of the Asian Film Awards two weeks ago mirrors their growing status.
The award ceremony will be held on March 17 at the Grand Hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Budgeted at nearly HK$12 million, the event is intended to be the jewel in the HKIFF's crown.
Wong says the festival is better prepared for hosting the Asian Film Awards because they have had 12 months to plan for it, unlike last year's inaugural event when the HKIFF board hastily decided to host the new pan-Asian awards just three months before the ceremony.
'This time we agreed in Cannes [last May] that we are going to do it again this year,' he says.
