Interview by Rui Pastorin
At The Londoner Macao on Monday, eight winning filmmakers of the five-day International Film Camp (IFC) 2025 were announced, each receiving a HK$300,000 grant to produce their short films.
The camp, hosted and organised by the Hong Kong-based Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA) with Sands China as a sponsor, followed last year’s inaugural edition, took place at The Venetian Macao from September 11 to 15 and featured 18 aspiring filmmakers, an increase from previous 16 accepted applicants.
During the period, each had undergone mentorship by invited film industry professionals and veterans, creating short film projects under this year’s theme “My Best Friend”, while comprehensive courses, networking opportunities, and masterclasses featuring acclaimed guest speakers, among others, were also provided.
IFC Director and Mentor Roger Garcia (高思雅), an industry veteran from Hong Kong who designed the programme, spoke with the media after Monday’s ceremony and, answering questions by the Post, said that the camp has been gaining popularity, seeing a large and steady amount of applications of between 400 and 500, receiving a lot of good projects.
“More and more people are learning about us now. And even though there are other festivals and film labs and things like that, we are still in front because we are actually funding short films to actually quite a great degree”, said Garcia, who is also a film festival executive, producer and writer.
Garcia further emphasised the camp’s role for aspiring filmmakers and how it could help them with their careers. A lot of short films are made, with between 4,000 and 10,000 submitted to festivals, Garcia estimated, but despite the volume and number of platforms, there is not really a structure on making them, with the camp attempting to provide that to the approach.
“I think what we’re trying to do is offer an opportunity to young filmmakers to make a short film that can help them move two steps up the ladder of their career”, highlighting that it can be difficult and very costly to make a feature film.
Having a purpose when making a short film is important, going beyond just wanting to make one, but creating something that can show your talent, he pointed out, adding: “It’s a little bit like a demo reel like your portfolio, but it’s also to approach the making of the short film in a more professional way” from developing and improving a script to working out a budget and then the filming process.
This is an important approach, said Garcia, and with the camp, he said: “We try and offer the idea and the opportunity to really approach making the short film in a way that could help you when you are on the set of your first feature film. And what do you do then? I think that’s what we hope that people will also take away”.
Perspectives from winning filmmakers
After pitching their ideas to compete for funding, Macau’s Jane Zhang, Hongkongers Kong Ho Yan and Lam Lo; Xu Hangcheng and Han Tianchu from the Chinese mainland, Vietnam’s Phạm Hoàng Minh Thy, Sreeram Pattathil from India, and Kyrgyzstan’s Tynystan Temirzhan each won the HK$300,000 grant.
Talking more about their experiences and the camp’s importance, winners Pattathil and Lam each spoke with the Post after Monday’s closing and awarding ceremony.
“It’s very difficult to get budget and funding and expert opinions on short films. So, a camp like this is very, very important to push the next generation of filmmakers especially in a time where the focus is shifting towards Asia”, Pattathil emphasised, adding that the camp marked the first time he had ever travelled outside of India.
A Commerce major who worked as an auditor before pursuing a passion for film, he added that the AFAA made a great platform for young filmmakers that will enable most of them to “go out make even longer films and bigger films” as short films are the start. And being provided great resources, mentorship and the budget ensures that.
Pattathil noted his excitement upon winning the grant, adding that it was unexpected given the “amazing filmmakers with amazing stories across Asia”. He had learnt a lot over the intensive five-day camp, he said, and is not only happy, but excited to start making his film. “This has inspired me even more to push more into my filmmaking journey”, suggesting other filmmakers to apply for future editions.
Hongkonger Lam, meanwhile, wanted to equip herself and hopefully get a short film to pave her way to her first feature. And finding out about the camp, Lam, a Law major from the University of Hong Kong who pursued an MFA in Film and TV production at the University of Southern California, took the opportunity to apply.
Aside from receiving the grant, Lam, who has made a few short films including one that she said garnered good results at a festival, remarked on how helpful the camp was for her and had looked forward to the mentorship. “My mentors helped with the story so much throughout the camp”, calling it a great experience with “too many” highlights. Among these were meeting her veteran mentor who helped with her script that she was stuck writing for some time, pointing out problems and guiding her along the way.
The Hongkonger also found the lectures to be comprehensive, thoroughly covering not only the creative side of short films like writing and directing, but the business side of the industry from distribution to going to festivals, adding she thinks it is a great resource to have, especially as she is able to interact with mentors.
Moreover, the grant is a “huge deal” for Lam’s career, saying that she thinks this is “quite generous compared to other short film brands”.
“Getting a short film brand is not easy”, Lam added, saying she thinks participating filmmakers were all being equipped for their first feature. “I felt like that’s what they want to try to do: to bridge emerging filmmakers, moving from making short films to feature film”.
* “Garcia has been executive director of the Hong Kong International Film Festival and Asian Film Awards Academy, artistic director of the Hainan Island International Film Festival, and curator, consultant and juror to many international film festivals”. – Source: AFAA website
Participants of IFC 2025 attend their first masterclass on September 11 at The Venetian Macao. – Photo: Sands China
Photos of IFC Director and Mentor Roger Garcia and film camp winners Sreeram Pattathil and Lam Lo taken on Monday by Rui Pastorin.
