HONG KONG and SINGAPORE, Mar. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Southeast Asia's leading international media event, the Singapore Media Festival (SMF), announced today that its fourth edition will be held from 23 November to 3 December 2017. Hosted by the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA), the festival is a marquee platform to showcase notable regional creative talent, and provide opportunities to discover and connect with a vibrant global media community.
Building upon the festival's theme of 'Celebrating Asian Storytelling', this edition will see the introduction of the Country-of-Focus programme -- a concerted spotlight on one Asian country, recognising its rich stories, talents and achievements. 2017's Country-of-Focus will be Indonesia.
Mr Robert Gilby, Chairman of the Singapore Media Festival Advisory Board and Managing Director of The Walt Disney Company (SEA), said," Introducing a Country-of-Focus programme is all about creating a bold platform to showcase the quality and variety of creativity originating from that country, and affirming its strong community of creators who continue to push boundaries and explore more collaborations between the country, Singapore and the rest of the world."
He added, "Southeast Asia is a region rich in potential for great storytellers, and we see the importance of amplifying these voices on the global stage. Singapore and Indonesia commemorate 50 years of bilateral and diplomatic relations in 2017, and in recent years Indonesia has proven to be a vibrant source of great content, talent and stories. It is timely that SMF marks its first Country-of-Focus with Indonesia."
This spotlight on Indonesia will thread across all SMF constituent events - the Asian Television Awards (ATA), Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF), ScreenSingapore (SS), Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), and SMF Ignite. Award-winning Indonesian singer and actor, Afgan (Afgansyah Reza), will be headlining ATA's Awards Ceremony, and ATF is also expecting stronger participation from Indonesian talent and media businesses this year including Surya Citra Televisi (SCTV), Metro TV, and Media Nusantara Citra (MNC), Indonesia's largest media group and a long-time supporter of the event.
As SMF grows amid a constantly-evolving media landscape, the SMF Advisory Board, consisting of industry heavyweights from Singapore and the region, continue to lend their expertise towards charting the Festival's strategic direction. Mr Chang Long Jong, a media industry veteran with over 30 years of experience in the broadcast and digital domains across Asia, joins the Board this year. He also assumes the role of mm2 Asia's Chief Executive Officer from 3 April.
Chang shared, "Having witnessed the evolution of content development in Singapore and the region over the last three decades, it is very exciting to see how new and varied content, platforms and formats are being presented today, showcasing our Asian stories anew. I am honoured to be part of the passionate team working to elevate Asia's storytellers to a global audience through the Singapore Media Festival."
SINGAPORE SPOTLIGHT AT HONG KONG FILMART 2017
Exemplary of the diverse formats and presentation of Asian stories, the IMDA, will be leading a delegation of 23 Singapore companies to the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART), where it will present over 200 hours of film and television content across more than 60 titles.
2017 and Beyond (Film picks) | Upcoming film projects supported by the Singapore Film Commission
2017 and Beyond (Television picks)
Capturing the Asian voice | Fresh Asian-themed content
Exciting Genres & Formats | Offering refreshing perspectives & innovative storytelling
New stories are also being developed and brought to fruition at the Hong Kong -- Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF), taking place on the side lines of Hong Kong FILMART. This year, three upcoming film projects by Singapore filmmakers have been shortlisted for co-production ventures with the region's top film financiers, producers, bankers, distributors and buyers. They include:
Singapore content and talent continue to make waves around the world - Boo Junfeng's highly-acclaimed feature, Apprentice, has been nominated under two award categories at the 11th Asian Film Awards, taking place in Hong Kong on 21 March. The film's lead actor Fir Rahman has been nominated for the Best Newcomer Award, while editors Natalie Soh (Singapore) and Lee Chatametikool (Thailand) have been nominated under the Best Editing Award category.
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES AT HONG KONG FILMART 2017
International trade partners can network with the Singapore delegation or find out more about the Singapore Media Festival 2017 during Singapore Hour, taking place on Monday 13 March, 4pm -- 5.30pm at the Singapore Pavilion (Booth 1B-A14).
Annex: New SMF Advisory Board member profile -- Mr Chang Long Jong
www.facebook.com/IMDAsg | #SGMediaFest
About the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA)
The Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) will develop a vibrant, world-class infocomm media sector that drives the economy, connects people, bonds communities and powers Singapore's Smart Nation vision. IMDA does this by developing talent, strengthening business capabilities, and enhancing Singapore's ICT and media infrastructure. IMDA also regulates the telecommunications and media sectors to safeguard consumer interests while fostering a pro-business environment. IMDA also enhances Singapore's data protection regime through the Personal Data Protection Commission. For more news and information, visit www.imda.gov.sg or follow IMDA on Facebook IMDAsg and Twitter @IMDAsg.
About the Singapore Media Festival
The Singapore Media Festival, hosted by the Info-communications Media Development Authority, is set to become one of Asia's leading international media events, where the industry meets to discover the latest trends, talents and content in Asia for Film, TV and digital media. Taking place from 23 November to 3 December 2017, the Singapore Media Festival brings together established media events such as the Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF), Asia TV Forum & Market (ATF) and ScreenSingapore (SS) and Asian Television Awards (ATA), as well as a new digital event SMF Ignite. For more information about the Singapore Media Festival, please visit www.sgmediafestival.com.
Profile of the new SMF Advisory Board member
Chang Long Jong Chief Executive Officer, mm2 Asia (effective 3 April 2017)
Chang Long Jong graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Structural) from Nanyang Technological Institute in 1985, and started with an administrative job with Mediacorp (then named Singapore Broadcasting Corporation). Although it was an "accidental" career entry, it heralded Chang's stay in the media industry for 30 years.
Chang played key roles in many milestones of the industry, including the launch of Mediacorp's Star Search programme in 1988, as well as the development and expansion of local drama productions that consistently received the highest ratings in Singapore. Under his leadership, exports of Singapore-made dramas and programmes were made through licensing, distribution and co-productions across Southeast Asia and in countries such as China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Chang had held the dual role of Mediacorp's deputy CEO and Chief Customer Officer, while also leading the company's events business arm, Vizpro, and its training business, Singapore Media Academy.
Chang has recently been appointed as Chief Executive Officer for mm2 Asia, where he will be responsible for overseeing and managing the business operations, especially the production division, as well as sourcing new business opportunities for the group.
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