Take That, Successful Festival!

The Hong Kong International Film Festival has received more kicks than a mangy mutt in recent years: under-attendance, SARS, the rising prominence of Pusan as Asia's biggest film festival, budget cuts, general malaise. This year, however, the Festival did a smart thing and instead of going it alone, all of Hong Kong's entertainment industry events happened at the same time. So the Filmart and the HKIFF were happening right on top of each other and things were happening. Deals were made, people buzzed, attendance was up all over the place.

So how to reward success? The Hong Kong government has cut the Festival's  budget by about US$50,000, leaving the festival with under US$1 million for next year's event.

Read more about it in this story from Movie Marketing Asia .