In a quest for new Asian talents, RomeFilmFest joined the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) as International Partner, by granting one of the six awards presented to outstanding Asian film projects together with  HAF, Hubert Bals Fund and Technicolor.

Prestigious selection included new projects by, among others, Zhang Yang, Clara Law, Stanley Kwan, Fruit Chan, Liu Fen Dou.

The Rome Film Festival award (USD 15,000), to a project that demonstrates the best of innovative talent by an Asian filmmaker, was granted to Utopia from Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, winner in 2004 of Cannes Jury Prize for Sud pralad / Tropical Malady.

This year’s HAF featured 25 projects and reported a 20% increase in the number of attendees. More than 630 meetings for Asian directors to discuss their projects with potential financiers were held over the market’s three days.

In the picture: Teresa Cavina (RomeFilmFest) and Apichatpong Weerasethakul on stage.