Chinese filmmaker Li Kai has taken the top Beijing Project prizeat the Second Forum on Young Generation in Filmmaking in the Chinese capital.
Li's debut project August Unfinished was awarded a $1,364 (RMB10, 000) cash prize and a grant of $136,400 (RMB1m) by Chinese film investor Idealink Entertainment for the production of the film.
Theforum aims to encourage dialogue between young film-makers and film financers or production companies.
This year saw the launch of the forum's first Beijing Project - a development market similar to Pusan Promotion Plan (PPP) or the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF).
12 projects were selected out of more than 80 submissions, including work fromWang Chao (Luxury Car), Xiao Jiang (PK.Com) and Sheng Zhimin (Bliss).
Producers and film-makers of each project present their projects to around 40 film companies and investors during the seven-day event, which closed on Dec 25.
Local heavyweight film investors such as Huayi Brothers, Chengtian Entertainment, Enlight Media, and IDG China participated in the forum.
Like theChina-based project market 'China Film Pitch and Catch', which was held at Shanghai International Film Festival, the Beijing Project is organised by Beijing-based Idealink Entertainment.
'Beijing Project is more focused on young film-makers,' said Feng Weiwei, operating director of Idealink, explaining the difference between CFPC and Beijing Project.
Raising a fund of RMB1m for the winning project 'August Unfinished', Idealink is seen as another Chinese film company setting up schemes to invest on young filmmakers.
In early 2007, China Film Group Corporation, IDG China and a Xian Qujiang Entertainment group have each announced project to develop young filmmakers or invest on mid-budget films.
Besides film financing, Idealink has been engaging in building a script and story database for film and TV productions.
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