[2010.03.25] LEON DAI DECLARES HIS LOVE AFTER VICTORY

The 8th Annual Hong Kong Asian Film Financing Forum award ceremony took place yesterday at the Hong Kong International Film and Television Market. Earlier winning a Taiwan Golden Horse award, director Leon Dai Lap Yan again with I LOVE YOU SO MUCH won the Paris Project prize. Dai Lap Yan was very happy to win this prize, which was well worth Taiwan film workers' effort. He said that now the Mainland was Chinese film's primary market, so Taiwan film should have even clearer image. He thanked the participating crew. Who else would he like to thank? He said, "This time I have to publicly say, I would like to invite Ms. Kwai Mei-Lun to perform in the new film. Everyone please help and tell her company that I am looking for her to work with!" He even made a declaration of love and said that when he wrote I LOVE YOU SO MUCH he was thinking about Kwai Mei-Lun, which made the script more concrete and clear. As for MONGA's success in Taiwan, Dai Lap Yan was very excited and felt this was a gigantic success that also proved the example of success was not just limited to CAPE NO. 7. Fellow attendee Derek Kwok Chi Kin revealed that in the middle of the year he will start work on his new film THE ENCHANTER (MOR FAT WAN YING), with a production cost around 70 million RMB.

In addition, the highest grossing film AVATAR's special effects creators Craig Tanner and Chuck Comisky yesterday attended the Filmart's 3D film technology forum to share their production experience. Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers chair Ng See Yuen, Tsui Siu Ming, Shi Nansun and director Soi Cheang Po Shui attended. Chuck expressed that his first contact with 3D technology was 30 years ago when he shot Mars footage for NASA. Year later he met James Cameron and used 3D technology on TERMINATOR and THE ABYSS, but he felt the story itself was the star, not 3D.

This year's Mainland first season film box office of 2.5 billion was twice last year's. Ng See Yuen pointed out that AVATAR helped that a lot. He was confident that this year's total box office could reach 10 billion. He also said that Hong Kong cinema screens due to rent contract and other reasons have not bee changed. He pointed out that Hong Kong had to quicken the pace. For now 3D technology has not become general in the Mainland so Hong Kong should take action first. Ng See Yuen also said that 3D technology should be done fully and not for several minutes like TRUE LEGEND (SO HAK YI). Not only the audience had hardship with the screening but also their eyes. Cheang Po Shui revealed that he is preparing a 3D film DAI NAU TIN GUNG (HAVOC IN HEAVEN) that will cost 250 million RMB. He would like either Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit) and Donnie Yen Chi tan to play the Monkey King. Filmko revealed that the film has officially launched the five year "1 billion RMB 3D movie project". So far 3D movies will include DAI NAU TIN GUNG and DON QUIXOTE.

Director Tsui Hark was also testing 3D production equipment and 3D effects. He revealed plans of a NEW DRAGON INN 3D version, the cast of which has not been decided yet. He originally had the idea of remaking NEW DRAGON INN in 2008, but later due to DETECTIVE DEE (DIK YUN KIT ji TUNG TIN DAI GOK) it was not fulfilled.