Three projects from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore with potential as theatrical feature films were this week named as winners of the inaugural ATF Chinese Pitch. The event was co-organized by Reed Exhibitions and G.H.Y Culture & Media.
From Singapore, came “Mulan, The Robot Girl,” from The Big Shots, about a who woke up as a military robot and took on the responsibility of defending her country. The Malaysian winner, “One Night In Geylang” takes Singapore as its setting. Written by Tang Jia Jie it focuses on a hawker who sells illegal aphrodisiacs and causes a zombie crisis. In Hong Kong’s “Please Do Something for this Land” pitched by Liang Shengfa, the lead character tries to save the dragon boat culture in his village.
The winners each received a cash prize of $2,600 (S$3,500). The winning selections were made by judges including Chen Xiao, VP of Chinese streaming firm iQIYI; Guo Jingyu, creative director and group CEO of G.H.Y Culture & Media (Singapore), and Xiao Ji Xiang Tian, renowned screenwriter of the online drama series “The Ferry Man” and “The Ferry Man II.”
In other pitching sessions at the ATF, Malaysia-based production house phoSumpro! emerged as the winner, of the third edition TV format competition. Its “Serenade” won $3,750 (S$5.000) for an idea that combines the romantic imagery of Romeo and Juliet’s balcony scene with contestants serenading guest celebrities.
“Galli Leo Lei,” a tale about three curious mice who design inventions that they must put to the test through scientific experiments, won the second edition of the ATF Animation Pitch. The project wins $2,500 cash award and a consultancy package worth $16,500 from India’s Green Gold Animation studio.