First Cuts sets 2nd development

Initiative to assist six rising Asian filmmakers

By CLIFFORD COONAN

BEIJING -- Hong Kong producer Daniel Yu and Chinese filmmaker Tang Xiru have announced an extension to their First Cuts Features initiative by setting up a production company in Beijing to develop and produce six projects by rising Asian filmmakers.

Four helmers -- Wu Ershan, Qu Jiangtao, Yan An and Fang Yaxi -- have signed up to the project and all four screened shorts at a press conference in the Chinese capital Wednesday to launch the initiative.

It is the next stage of the First Cuts project launched in 2005 under Andy Lau's Focus Group, companies involved in film, pop music and artist management. Focus First Cuts was a remarkable success, producing Ning Hao's "Crazy Stone" and Li Yunchan's "The Shoe Fairy."

"Because of the success of 'Crazy Stone,' we launched First Cuts to reflect the strategic focus on the important mainland market. First Cuts is the second, advanced stage of the first project," Yu told the news conference.

"First Cuts is a 6+2 project, which means we will do six original movies by six directors separately and two co-production movies with other production companies," said prexy Tang.

"This project is not only about new directors, but also new producers and new actors and actresses."

The next stage of the project will be to expand the project's remit to look at other areas in the region including Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, as well as other areas with a large Chinese diaspora.