Charlie Young's Christmas Rose received the HAF Excellence Award at the Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF) today, for managing to raise its entire $2m budget at the three-day event.

Beijing-based Orange Sky Entertainment stepped up on the second day of the market to fully finance the film - a Hong Kong-set drama to be produced by Oxide Pang.

Among other winners at the HAF awards ceremony, Dante Lam's Wanted took the prize for the best project originating in Hong Kong, while The Murderer by Na Hong-jin won the award for best project originating outside Hong Kong. Both films have been awarded with cash prizes of around $13,000 (HK$100,000).

The Technicolor Bangkok Awards went to Blood Maple And The Passion Of The Kid from Thailand's Chartchai Ketnust and Vertigo from Vietnamese director Chuyen Bui Thac. Both films have been awarded in-kind prizes of $20,000 each.

The Locarno Open Doors Awards were presented to Help from Chinese director Li Ying and Winter Vacation from China's Li Hongqi. The awards came with in-kind prizes of Euros5,000 and both projects will be invited to participate at the Locarno International Film Festival's Open Doors Awards section in 2009.

Finally, the Paris Project Award went to And Protect, Protected by Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase. The filmwon a prizeof Euros5,000 which includes travel and accommodation costs to participate in Paris Project 2009.

HAF organisers said that this year's event had seen a 38% increase in project applicants and guest registrations of around 900.

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