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HiCine Film Project Market

Project Market Mechanism

1. Call for Projects

Eligibility:
Open to Chinese-language filmmakers worldwide. We especially encourage submissions from emerging directors, female filmmakers, and projects with US-China co-production potential.

Project Types:

  1. Narrative feature films (in development or production stage)

  2. Feature-length and short documentaries (shorts limited to student/youth categories)

  3. Cross-media or experimental visual works (e.g., XR, AI-generated content)

Required Submission Materials:

  1. Project synopsis (in both Chinese and English)

  2. Script outline or excerpt

  3. Director’s statement / artistic motivation

  4. Demo reel or visual mood board

  5. Production plan & brief budget summary

 

2. Selection Process

Jury Composition:
The selection committee is composed of industry professionals from both China and the United States, including producers, distributors, festival curators, and screenwriters.

Evaluation Criteria:

  1. Originality and global storytelling potential

  2. Production feasibility and market viability

  3. Artistic depth and cultural exchange value

Number of Selected Projects:
For its inaugural edition, the Project Market will select 10 projects for public pitching and industry matchmaking.

3. Pitching & Industry Meetings

  1. One-on-One Industry Meetings

  2. Industry Panels & Discussions

 

4. Support & Awards

  1. HiCine Best Project Award

  2. Selection for the festival’s official Project Incubation Program

  3. Recommendation for international co-production markets

  4. Cross-Cultural Vision Award for outstanding projects with U.S.-China exchange potential

  5. Opportunities for cultural exchange visits to the U.S. (residency or university labs)

  6. Media promotion through the Hello China Media platform

Incubation & Collaboration Support:
Selected projects will be prioritized for introductions to U.S. independent producer networks, North American distributors, and other industry partners.

 

5. IP Protection & Follow-up

  1. All copyrights remain with the original creators.

  2. The organizer reserves only the right to present and promote the project during the market and will not impose any binding agreements.

  3. After the market, the organizing team will continue to track project progress and provide further matchmaking and implementation support as needed.

 

Submission Timeline

  1. Submission Deadline:
    July 31, 2025, at 11:59 PM (Eastern Standard Time)

  2. Finalist Notification:
    Early August 2025 — Finalists will be notified by email.

  3. Submission Link:
    Please complete the online application and upload all required materials at:
    https://forms.gle/AYKKwfvSyfhVTWEY8

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