The 4th Entertainment Expo Hong Kong opened on Monday with all the fanfare attached to Asia's leading entertainment industry event.

This year's Entertainment Expo combines nine multimedia events spotlighting local and global film, television, digital entertainment and music. These include the festival's three founding events: the Hong Kong International Film and Television Market (FILMART), the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) and the Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony (HKFA).

Six core events are also part of the March 17 to April 13 festivities: the Asian Film Awards (AFA); the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF); the Hong Kong Music Fair (HKMF); the IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award (IFPI TSA); the Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum (DELF); and the Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards (ifva).

Acting Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Henry Tang, Chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (TDC), the Hong Kong Film Development Council Jack So, and Hong Kong Entertainment Ambassador Tony Leung opened the internationally acclaimed entertainment extravaganza at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

Hong Kong is Asia's major production and distribution hub for film and TV. Among Entertainment Expo's six film and TV events, FILMART, HKIFF, HAF and AFA open today. The Hong Kong Film Awards Presentation Ceremony, April 13, will mark the conclusion of the 4th Entertainment Expo.

This year's FILMART has attracted more than 480 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions, including first-time exhibitors from the Czech Republic and Sweden. Group pavilions from Indonesia and Israel are also joining for the first time.

Other highlights of the 12th FILMART include TV World, Animation and Digital Entertainment World, Locations World -- Asia and the Equipment and Post-production Services Pavilion. The newly added TV World Screening features quality TV dramas and documentaries from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Poland, Spain, Sweden, China's Taiwan and the United States.

FILMART will also host the 1st Hong Kong Mobile Film Festival Awards Presentation Ceremony on March 20.

HAF, the annual film project market, brings together regional filmmakers with promising projects and international financiers looking for co-production opportunities. Among more than 200 applications, 25 film projects were selected this year.

The 32nd HKIFF, with Sammi Cheng as ambassador and Eric Tsang as Filmmaker in Focus, showcases nearly 300 films from more than 50 countries and regions. Several films will make their world premiere at the HKIFF.

With more than 70 exhibitors from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and Germany, the 3rd HKMF is more international than ever. Apart from exhibits and performances, a series of star seminars will be staged, with established managers from all over Asia sharing the secrets of their successful artist management.

(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2008)