This year, Hong Kong’s Filmart celebrates its 30th anniversary as a cornerstone of Asia’s film and television market. From its origins as a regional trade hub to its current position as a global meeting place for producers, distributors and innovators, FilMart has consistently reflected the evolution of the entertainment industry itself. This year it will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center until March 20th.
“When we launched Filmart in 1997, we recognized a critical gap in the global film trade infrastructure,” says Kandas Yong, associate director of service facilitation at event organizer Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). “While Hong Kong was already hailed as the ‘Hollywood of the East,’ the industry lacked a centralized home-based business platform in Asia. FilMart is designed to be that bridge, providing a familiar and efficient environment for international distributors to connect with mainland Chinese studios and Asian producers.”
Over the past 30 years, FilMart has grown from a primarily regional marketplace to a truly international platform. Participants span Europe, the Americas and Asia, reflecting a growing appetite for cross-cultural content and co-creation. Once focused on buying and selling distribution rights for finished films and television shows, the market now encompasses a wide range of IP collaborations, licenses, remake rights, animation, digital entertainment, and other emerging content formats.
Strategic industry developments interrupted FilMart’s growth. The Close Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) of 2003 promoted cross-border co-production, allowing mainland Chinese projects to enter international markets and giving global companies easier access to the mainland. Two years later, Entertainment Expo Hong Kong was held, linking FilMart and Hong Kong International Airport. The Hong Kong Film Festival (HKIFF) and the Hong Kong Film Awards have raised the profile of the market and cemented the city’s role as Asia’s entertainment capital. The integration with the Hong Kong Asian Film Finance Forum (HAF) further expands FilMart into a one-stop platform covering the entire value chain from script financing to global distribution.
“FilMart’s evolution has been geographical and industrial,” Yeung said. “Currently, our dual role as a ‘super connector’ and a ‘super value adder’ keeps us in an advantageous position. We not only connect buyers and sellers, but also add value by helping international companies navigate regional markets, providing professional services for intellectual property transactions, while at the same time spotlighting Asian content on the international stage.”
Yeung points out that the more profound changes are within the industry itself. “When we started, FilMart was focused on buying and selling film and television distribution rights. Today, deals are no longer limited to completed films and TV shows, but encompass a much broader scope, including IP collaborations, remake rights, licensing, and cross-media content.” There has been a significant expansion of new genres and content, such as animation and digital entertainment.
Equally important are relationships, which are increasingly central to the marketplace. “With the growing trend of cross-border collaboration and co-creation, the need for connection has become paramount,” she says. “That’s why we bring together producers from around the world under our Producers Connect program to foster the relationships needed for these complex projects.”
Now in its 30th year, we’re introducing enhanced programs including the AI Hub, Producer Connect, and the newly launched AI Academy with more than 15 hands-on workshops. More than 790 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions will gather in Hong Kong, with expanded pavilions from mainland China and several companies from emerging markets set to participate for the first time.
“Post-pandemic, we realized that online engagement and business matching is more important than ever,” explains Yeung. “To address this, we have built an online IP catalog that facilitates business matching and extends business communication and discussion far beyond the physical market floor.”
As streaming platforms, AI-generated content, and short-form drama reshape global consumption patterns, FilMart’s enduring value lies in its physical marketplaces and curated networking opportunities.
“We’re not just looking back on 30 years of success, we’re setting the stage for the next era of entertainment,” says Yeung. “By staying ahead of technology trends while deepening our role as a trusted global connector, FilMart continues to be a vital bridge where the global entertainment industry comes together to create, collaborate and grow.”
