[2025.03.20] THE LEE SINJIE PRODUCE DEAD TIDE WINS INDUSTRY PROJECT MARKET AWARDS

Lee Sinje is happy that BLACK TIDES, the film she produces, has received an award

Yoyo Tse and Jacky Cai practice dancing for their new film roles
courtesy of mingpao.com

A total of 24 cash and non-cash awards worth about HK$1,950,000 (about US$250,000) were presented to a number of promising film projects yesterday at the Hong Kong International Film Festival Industry Project Market award ceremony took place yesterday, in recognition of outstanding film projects from around the world and the birth of outstanding new filmmakers. A total of 48 projects were showcased in this year's Project Market, including 25 projects under development (IDP), 15 projects in production (WIP), 6 animation projects, and 2 projects from Jakarta Film Week in Indonesia, all of which were selected from among the best submissions from around the world.

Directed by Chan Si Ieong, WAVES UNDER THE SEA won the Hong Kong Development Project (IDP) Award, and Liu Xing's first feature film SAY MY NAME won the Hong Kong Project in Production (WIP) Award and the White Light Post-Production Award (WIP). Gong Yiwen's HER FIRST TASTE (mainland) won the WIP Award and was also selected for the HAF Goes To Cannes programme. Penu Aree and Kong Rithdee won the WIP Award for DRIVE SOUTH PRAY WEST (Thailand); Zheng Lu Xinyuan's A STRANGER AT MY DOOR (Hong Kong, mainland) won the HAF x CNC Award and the Aputure Award; Li Jing's NAME AND HAIR (mainland), Iskandar Usmonov's BESIK. HOMECOMING (Tajikistan, Kazakhstan) won the Red Sea Fund Award (WIP).

This year's Industry Film Market also marked the expansion of the Animation Section, which showcased a series of projects that reflected the growing influence of animated storytelling. They included Hong Kong-based director Toe Yuen Kin Toe's A MIGHTY ADVENTURE, which won the Sky Animation Award. The all new Indonesian Film Project also focuses on emerging Indonesian filmmakers, providing a platform for them to exchange ideas with international industry professionals.

The Lee Sinjie and Jin Ong produced film DEAD TIDE received the LA FONTE AWARD, and was selected for one of the 5 films of the "HAF GOES TO CANNES PROGRAM". Lee Sinjie was happy that the movie DEAD TIDE was able to win the award, of which the HK$ 100,000 cash prize could help make up for the initial funds. Now many investors are interested in the movie, she could start filming with a budget of about HK$ 8 million. She intended to ask Jack Tan to play the lead. Why not ask her good partner Wu Kangren to perform? Lee Sinjie's team joked that Wu Kangren was not suitable for the age of the role. Lee Sinjie could not do two things at the same time either, acting while producing. Thus the female lead candidate was still being searched. Lee Sinjie said, "Because the actor who understands Malaysian and Hokkien dialect is preferred, it is best to find Malaysian actor Jack Tan."

Cai Jie made a special trip to the award ceremony to support the performance of SAY MY NAME, but she did not expect to get a good result. She said, "Tse Wing Yan is the lead of the movie, I just play a supporting role. As long as the role is attractive, I don't mind." Cai Jie said that she wanted to practice her dance for the movie, and Tse Wing Yan said that the movie was filmed half a year ago and is now doing post-production work. Has Cai Jie reduced her salary for the performance? She joked, "We don't need to talk about the money, the movie shows that the director has put a lot of thought into it. Everyone participates as much as possible under the small budget. In addition the director is my senior, and the screenwriter is even my teacher."

On a rare trip to Hong Kong to receive the award, Lee Sinjie said that she would leave in two days and would go to the mainland and Taiwan to promote another new film. However she would also seize the time to meet her mentor Sylvia Chang for dinner. Has she made any appointment to meet the sisters? Lee Sinjie joked, "I have had dinner with (Gigi) Leung Wing Kei, and we have even talked all night. Seeing all our sisters together would be more difficult. I have to work and fly around a lot, and (Charlie) Yeung Choi Nei has been in Singapore."