The FILMART in Hong Kong, which will this year unspool from 13-16 March, has become one of the hotspots for European sales companies to market their films on the Asian continent, as reflected by the increasing demand for European Film Promotion’s Film Sales Support (FSS).

A total of 46 films from 20 European countries, represented by a record number of 33 sales companies, are getting an extra promotional boost thanks to FSS. With the financial support of the European Union's Creative Europe – MEDIA Programme and the consent of the respective member organisations, EFP has dedicated a total of €106,000 in funds to the individual marketing campaigns.

Amongst those receiving FSS are four award-winning films directly from this year’s Berlinale: the Hungarian Golden Bear winner, On Body and Soul [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Ildiko Enyedi
interview : Ildiko Enyedi
interview : Réka Tenki
fiche film] by Ildiko Enyedi, together with the inspiring social drama Felicity [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Alain Gomis
fiche film] by Alain Gomis, which won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, the Czech-Slovak-Hungarian co-production Little Harbour [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Iveta Grófová
fiche film] by Iveta Grófová, and Agnieszka Holland’s subversive thriller Spoor [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Agnieszka Holland
interview : Zofia Wichlacz
fiche film].

UK sales companies Film Constellation, Kaleidoscope Film Distribution and Truffle Pictures will be benefiting from FSS for the first time this year. Further newcomers to EFP and FSS are Loco Films from France, representing Little Harbour, and Summerside International from the Netherlands, which will market the new instalment in the successful Finnish children’s film series Ricky Rapper and the Nighthawk [+lire aussi :
bande-annonce
fiche film], as well as the directorial debut Snow by Bulgarian director Ventsislav Vasilev, under EFP’s European Umbrella.

European Umbrella, backed by German Films with further contributions from the Danish Film Institute and Istituto Luce Cinecittà – Filmitalia, works as a hub for European films at the FILMART. It is fully booked and is equipped for 24 sales companies plus EFP member the Polish Film Institute, in close vicinity to the UniFrance booth and Film Export. The UK’s HanWay Films and Celsius Entertainment, France's Luxbox and Spanish firm Filmax International have recently agreed to do business at the market under EFP’s canopy.

Thanks to EFP member Swiss Films, FSS is also boosting campaigns for two films from Switzerland: Animals [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Greg Zglinski
fiche film], a psychological thriller located in the Swiss Alps, and The Paris Opera [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film], represented by renowned French company Les Films du Losange.

EFP’s booklet lists all the companies and films presented at FILMART under the European Umbrella.