Recent articles
April 9, 2026
Weekly Series ‘Women’s Sports Now’ Makes Big Move to ESPN Slot (EXCLUSIVE)
ESPN announced that it will bring “Women’s Sports Now” to the cabler April 16, making the weekly series available across all ESPN digital platforms throughout the season. “Women’s Sports Now” moves...
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March 29, 2026
Spanish Queer Drama ’Maspalomas’ Wins Top Prize at Sonoma Film Festival as Steven Soderbergh’s ‘The Christophers’ Takes Audience Award
The 29th Sonoma Intl. Film Festival wrapped March 29 with Spanish film “Maspalomas” winning the Grand Jury Award for best narrative feature. In a statement, the jury noted that directors Aitor Arre...
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March 20, 2026
Short-Form Video, AI-Generated Dramas Power Next Wave of Global Content as FilMart Panel Probes the Thriving Digital Economy
As short-form video begins to dominate global viewing habits, a new monetization playbook is emerging — one driven by watch time, scalable content formats and increasingly, AI-generated storytellin...
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March 19, 2026
Red Empire, Organic Bow Hybrid AI Animated ‘Home Away AI.i.Ce‘ (EXCLUSIVE)
Brisbane’s Red Empire Prods. and Taipei- and Los Angeles-based Organic Media Group have unveiled their first animated vertical series, “Home Away AI.i.Ce,” at Hong Kong FilMart. Created and written...
variety.com
March 19, 2026
Hong Kong’s Mei Ah Entertainment Unveils AI Short Drama Line-Up at FilMart
Mei Ah Entertainment may be one of the biggest and oldest media distribution companies in Hong Kong – it is currently in its 42nd year of operations – but it has always learned to adapt quickly wit...
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March 19, 2026
Horror, Fantasy, Drama Top Taiwan Pavilion’s Films and Series Highlights at FilMart as It Makes Play for International Partners and Audiences
Taiwan is mounting a significant presence at Hong Kong FilMart, where the Taiwan Pavilion is hosting 106 companies showcasing 243 titles spanning film, television and cross-platform projects, under...
variety.com
March 19, 2026
Chinese Hit Satire ‘Johnny Keep Walking!’ to Get French Remake Through Master Movies (EXCLUSIVE)
French production company Master Movies has acquired the French remake rights for the 2023 Chinese comedy feature “Johnny Keep Walking!” The deal was struck with Chinese film company Tiger Pictures...
variety.com
March 19, 2026
AI Ethics and the Future of Filmmaking Debated at FilMart Forum: ‘If We Cannot Stop Technology, Then We Should Be Asking What We Can Gain From It.”
AI and its rapidly expanding role in film and television production took center stage at a FilMart, which gathered five industry veterans across technology, directing and production to discuss the ...
variety.com
March 18, 2026
Directable AI Set to Disrupt Film and TV Biz: ‘It’s Going to Help Small Film Industries in Asia Compete’
Generative AI has already changed commercial advertising, is replacing countless processes within film and TV production and is poised to upend even newer technology such as virtual production, say...
variety.com
March 18, 2026
Shanghai and Hong Kong Deepen Filmmaking Collaboration With Formal Agreement at FilMart
The Shanghai Broadcasting Film & TV Producers Assn. and the Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild formally signed an agreement to deepen cooperations on March 19 at FilMart. The Memorandum of Understa...
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March 18, 2026
AI and Intellectual Property Protections Probed at FilMart Panel
Among the multitude of AI-related panels and workshops at this year’s FilMart, one forum on the legal landscape surrounding gen AI and IP stood out. A primary concern for producers and directors re...
variety.com
March 18, 2026
‘The Season’ Stars Jessie Mei Li, Chris Pang and More Unveil Global Premiere Date at Buzzy FilMart Presentation
Hong Kong’s upcoming English-language revenge drama “The Season,” a series co-produced with SK Global, the powerhouse behind global hits such as “Crazy Rich Asians,” “Thai Cave Rescue” and “Delhi C...
variety.com
March 18, 2026
Kani Releasing Picks Up Five Classic Hong Kong Pics for North American Screens
North American distributor Kani Releasing has selected five classic Hong Kong films for its upcoming catalog rollout, spotlighting socially minded works from the 1980s and early 1990s by filmmakers...
variety.com
March 18, 2026
‘Tea Lounge’ Leads Dream Maker, Nob Prods. Expansion as Shingle Eyes International Markets (EXCLUSIVE)
Dream Maker and Nob Prods., in collaboration with local and international partners, are expanding their film slate with a trio of Thai features aimed at strengthening their presence in the domestic...
variety.com
March 18, 2026
Taiwan Rolls Out Film, TV Projects at Hong Kong FilMart as Its Creative Content Agency Courts Global Partners
As Hong Kong FilMart and the Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum get underway, Taiwan is rolling out a lineup of film and television projects led by the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA), h...
variety.com
March 18, 2026
‘Man in Hanbok,’ ‘I’m Popo’ Ink Korean Distribution Pacts (EXCLUSIVE)
Two features from Interconmedia Intl. have secured Korean distribution following their market debuts at Hong Kong FilMart. Historical fantasy “Man in Hanbok” has been acquired by Korean distributor...
variety.com
March 17, 2026
Linmon Media Unveils 2026–2027 Slate and Microdrama Expansion at FilMart Hong Kong
In an industry increasingly defined by borderless storytelling and bite-sized consumption, Chinese production powerhouse Linmon Media is making a calculated — and ambitious — bet on both. At its 20...
variety.com
March 17, 2026
AI, Cross-Border Collaboration and Global Content Strategies Explored at FilMart Forum: ‘As Long as the Story Is Strong, AI Can Support Creators in Connecting With Audiences’
Industry executives and producers gathered at Hong Kong FilMart for a Forum on International Communication Cooperation and Innovation for a New Vision, held on the market’s opening day. Organized b...
variety.com
March 17, 2026
Chinese Auteur Jia Zhangke Wraps Short Film in Italy, Talks AI at Asian Film Awards Masterclass
Chinese auteur Jia Zhangke has finished shooting a short film in Italy, commissioned and produced by Carlo Chatrian, director of the National Museum of Cinema in Turin. Jia (“Still Life”, “A Touch ...
variety.com
March 17, 2026
Hugoeast Reveals FilMart Sales Slate Topped by ‘Shanghai Wonton’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Beijing-based sales company Hugoeast has revealed its lineup at the Hong Kong FilMart. Heading up the slate is feature film “Shanghai Wonton,” produced by Shanghai Artown Film and directed by Wu Ti...
variety.com
March 17, 2026
FilMart 2026 Sets the Stage for AI, Short Dramas and Emerging Asian Markets
Hong Kong’s FilMart continues to anchor Asia’s screen industry, serving as a hub where global producers, distributors, and innovators converge. Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council ...
variety.com
March 17, 2026
FilMart Celebrates Three Decades of Shaping Asia’s Screen Industry: ‘We Add Value by Helping International Companies Navigate the Regional Market’
Hong Kong’s FilMart celebrates a milestone this year, marking 30 years as the linchpin of Asia’s film and television market. From its origins as a regional trade hub to its current stature as a glo...
variety.com
March 17, 2026
Lu Po-Shun Seeks Financing for Feature Debut ‘Will You Still Be My Friend’ at Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum
Taiwanese filmmaker Lu Po-Shun, whose short film “Wild Tides” won best director at the 2017 Taipei Film Awards and best film in the international competition at the Tel Aviv Intl. Student Film Fest...
variety.com
March 17, 2026
“Trouble Girl” Director Chin Chia-hua Returns to HAF With ‘A Ghost in the Market’
Taiwanese filmmaker Chin Chia-hua, whose debut feature “Trouble Girl” (2023) earned recognition at the Golden Horse and the Asian Film awards, returns to the Hong Kong — Asia Film Financing Forum (...
variety.com
March 11, 2026
Built to Last: How Ireland Supports Thriving Production, Post and VFX Businesses
At some point, the green wave stops being a wave and starts being the waterline. Ireland doesn’t need to announce its arrival on the global screen stage anymore. It just keeps delivering. Productio...
variety.com
March 11, 2026
Real Estate Elite 2026 Spotlights the Agents Making the Biggest Deals From Coast to Coast
With many factors hitting the real estate market, such as L.A.’s “mansion tax” and other economic factors, agents have a tricky juggling act to perform. But what seems to be staying pretty strong i...
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March 3, 2026
Steven Soderbergh’s ‘The Christophers,’ Maude Apatow’s ‘Poetic License’ and More Unspool at Sonoma Film Festival
Maude Apatow’s directorial debut, “Poetic License,” kicks off the 29th Sonoma Intl. Film Festival, with Steven Soderbergh’s “The Christophers,” starring Ian McKellen, set for a centerpiece screenin...
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February 28, 2026
Oscar-Nominated Documentary Shorts Directors on Their Works and Hoping to Make an Impact: ‘We Wanted People to See This Raw, Unflinching Portrait’
The five Oscar-nominated doc shorts pack a lot of punch into their brief time on screen. The filmmakers talked to Variety about their documentaries. All the Empty Rooms Joshua Seftel’s “All the Emp...
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February 28, 2026
Documentary Oscar Race Reflects Balanced Field of Home-Grown and International Stories
This year’s crop of five documentary feature Oscar nominees is refreshingly balanced. There is a healthy mix of international stories, American directors, docs with big-streamer support and docs wi...
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February 17, 2026
Berlin Panorama Pic ‘A Russian Winter’ Probes War and Extremism With a Twist: ‘The Key Was to Make It as Universal as Possible’
by Gregg Goldstein Amidst all the chaos and destruction since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, one important part of the picture is often overlooked: some 900,000 exiles who left R...
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