Dream of a united Asia
Peter Chan Ho-sun has a vision for Applause Pictures, a new company he has started with fellow director Teddy Chen and film executive Allan Fung: the DreamWorks of Asia.
'Applause Pictures should not be confused with production companies,' Chan says. 'We're looking to set up a network with strategic partners around Asia; not for finance to just produce our own movies, but actively seeking co-productions that will allow us to widen the market for Asian films.' With initial funding from Star East Entertainment Holdings (Asia) - a conglomerate with wide entertainment-related businesses started by a group of Hong Kong celebrities such as Alan Tam Wing-lun and Eric Tsang Chi-wai - Applause Pictures has already committed to financing Thai director Nonzee Nimibutr's third film, and co-financing Korean Hur Jin-ho's next film, with some funding from Japan and Korea.
Nimibutr's tale of ghostly love Nang Nak (now showing at Hong Kong cinemas) is the top-grossing Thai film of all time in his home country, while Hur's Christmas In August has been doing well in the region.
'This label will be truly pan-Asian, and we'll be looking for co-production opportunities with some of the best film-makers in Asia such as Nonzee and Hur Jin-ho,' said Chan, whose last Hong Kong film Comrades, Almost A Love Story enjoyed critical as well as box-office success around Asia.
'We'll be choosing scripts and projects which have a high possibility of crossing over to other territories.' Both Chan and Chen will also be directing their own movies over the next two years, although Chan says their roles would be as 'calling cards' rather than directors. 'Although this isn't a new concept, it is something that hasn't been done before in Asia. And anything trendsetting will have its risks. Teddy and I have to produce our own movies to be able to draw investors,' says Chan, who expects most if not all of the financing to come from other Asian investors.
Chan has noted an increasing interest among Asian film fans for productions from other territories. In Hong Kong, for instance, the top-grossing film last year was the Japanese horror movie The Ring, while Shunji Iwai's Japanese-language The Love Letter was among the top 10 highest grossing films in Korea last year.
'Each territory in Asia is too small. How can we challenge Hollywood? We don't need to own the world, but we can at least unite Asia,' Chan says.
'We are looking for investments not just for the money but also the involvement. We need local support. For instance in Japan, if you have a local partner you'll be able to open on the major circuits and not just art houses.
'These co-productions will be able to open the market for us. In future, we do not hope to be selling our films to the other territories, but to have strong local partners who are in it with us. I believe that the best distributors are our partners because they have a vested interest.' The second step for Applause would be to look into an exchange of ideas, and eventually an exchange of talent. 'Ultimately, there's nothing to stop a Japanese director from directing a Hong Kong film, or a Hong Kong film-maker from directing a Korean movie. If I can go to Hollywood to make a movie, then why can't Nonzee come here to make a Hong Kong movie?'
