From 17 to 20 March this year, the 30th edition of the FILMART film market took place in Hong Kong. In cooperation with the Slovenian Tourist Board, the Slovenian Film Centre participated in the event for the first time, accompanied by six production companies and eight producers: Blade Production (Zoran Dževerdanović), Sever&Sever (Nina Jeglič and Jani Sever), Perfo (Aleš Pavlin), A Atalanta (Branislav Srdić), Studio Virc (Nataša Vugrinec), and 666 Production (Deja Škerjanc and Tomaž Gorkič). The Slovenian Film Centre took part in the market as a partner, providing Slovenian producers with greater visibility and improved access to international partners.
Nataša Bučar, Director of the Slovenian Film Centre, stated:
“Participation at FILMART in Hong Kong represents an important step in strengthening the international presence of Slovenian film, particularly in rapidly growing Asian markets. We are pleased to have enabled Slovenian producers direct access to key partners and to have encouraged new collaborations in the fields of co-production and distribution. Such representation significantly enhances the visibility of Slovenian cinema and opens up new opportunities for its further growth and development.”
FILMART in Hong Kong is considered one of the most important international trade fairs for the film and audiovisual industry in Asia. It serves as a key meeting point for producers, distributors, financiers, and other industry professionals from around the world, who gather to buy, sell, and develop film and television projects.
Its importance lies primarily in opening doors to fast-growing Asian markets and fostering international collaboration, co-productions, and knowledge exchange. FILMART also enables the effective presentation of national cinematographies, strengthens the visibility of creators, and facilitates the establishment of long-term business relationships. For many countries and film organisations, it represents an important platform for entering the global market and expanding distribution opportunities.
Nataša Bučar (Director of the Slovenian Film Centre) and Mojca Planšak (Head of PR and Film Commission, Slovenian Film Centre) with senior FILMART representatives · Photo: Slovenian Film Centre Archive
Josephine Lam, Head of Entertainment Industries at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s Service Promotion Department, commented:
“Co-production in Asia is rapidly developing and receiving increasing support from film funds of various governments as well as regional partners who understand the market and have established local distribution networks. The Producers Connect programme at FILMART is designed as a platform for building a global network, enabling international producers to explore co-production opportunities in Asia. In addition, international producers can present their projects in development and production at the Hong Kong Asia Financing Forum (HAF). Selected projects are then invited to participate in business matching and project pitching sessions organised by HAF within FILMART.”
Participating producers reported very positive experiences. Zoran Dževerdanović (Blade Production) noted:
“Participating in FILMART was an excellent opportunity for Blade Production to enter the Asia-Pacific market. The event proved highly valuable in terms of potential distribution opportunities for our films, as well as for establishing new partnerships for projects currently in development, pre-production, or production.”
Slovenian Delegation at FILMART · Photo: Slovenian Film Centre Archive
Aleš Pavlin (Perfo) added:
“FILMART is the leading Asian market for film and television content. It was my first time attending, and I established numerous new business contacts. Through the Producers Connect meetings, I also gained valuable insights into film institutions from Asia and other major territories.”
Nataša Vugrinec (Studio Virc) highlighted:
“With the support of the Slovenian Film Centre, I participated in the Producers Connect programme, where I met international producers, sales agents, and representatives of film institutions from Asia, Europe, and Canada. The purpose of the visit was to establish new connections, present our projects, and explore opportunities for future co-production and distribution collaborations.”
Sever&Sever emphasised the importance of networking:
“For us, FILMART was important due to numerous business contacts with potential co-producers and distributors from Asia and Europe, as well as insights into the latest developments in AI animation in film.”
Deja Škerjanc (666 Production) concluded:
“Our participation at FILMART in Hong Kong demonstrated that Slovenian genre production has the quality needed to break into the Asian market. With the support of the partnership between the Slovenian Film Centre and FILMART, we can present our projects more effectively to international partners and distributors.”
The significance of the event was also highlighted by The Hollywood Reporter - FILMART has established itself as a gathering that keeps its finger on the pulse of Asian cinema—it is not only a marketplace where producers promote their latest projects, but also a forum for discussing the future of the industry. This year, 790 exhibitors were present, a significant increase from the event’s beginnings in 1997, when there were just 75.
