Fox International Productions (FIP) and the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) are collaborating on a new award to be given out annually at HAF beginning next year.

They will jointly select one Chinese-language project to receive the Fox Chinese Film Development Award, which includes a cash grant of HK$100,000 and a first-look deal with FIP.

“We believe that there is a wealth of unrealised filmmakers in China,” said FIP president Sanford Panitch.  “One of the goals of Fox International Productions is about finding this talent and introducing them to the rest of the world.”

Submissions are open to any Chinese-language project, or project with the potential to be adapted into a Chinese-language film, and may be submitted by the director, producer, writer or any other talent who is the copyright owner of the project. 

The call for entries is open now until 30 October, 2011. Projects will be judged based on creativity, originality, Asian cultural content and the potential for production into a full-length theatrical film with artistic and commercial qualities.

Five projects will be shortlisted and the winner will be announced at the HAF Awards ceremony in March 2012 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.