Event Coverage
33rd HKIFF records 58% increase in registered filmmakers
HONG KONG: The 33rd edition of the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), which kicked off yesterday, is shaping up to be the largest and the best attended ever. The event recorded a 58 per cent increase in registered filmmakers, celebrities and guests as compared to the previous edition in 2008. HKIFF will run through till 13 April, 2009.
Jackie Chan helped kick off the event yesterday by lending his star clout to HKIFF which opened with the world premiere of Chan‘s new Chinese language gangster thriller Shinjuku Incident.
Screening of over 300 titles from 50 countries, including 20 world premieres and 17 international premieres are scheduled during the current edition of HKIFF. Also, filmmakers from over 30 territories plan to introduce their films to the Hong Kong audience. This year’s Festival has had eager support from the audience with over 85 sold out screenings as on 22 March, including Monsters Vs. Aliens, The Badger Meinhof Complex and Yang Yang.
“The record attendance to the festival this year is a testament to the diverse and exhilarating programming, the value of the festival as a launch pad for films, and the discovery of film talent,” said HKIFF Society’s executive director Shaw Soo Wei. “The HKIFF represents a destination to capture the fastest growing markets, the abundance of co-production opportunities and film-project financing in Asia.”
With the increased number of directors, producers and cast members attending the festival, the screenings will see an increase of 66 per cent in its ‘Meet the Audience’ sessions from 64 to 106 this year. Film makers such as the three time Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone, five time Academy Award producer Arthur Cohon and Academy Award winning actor William Hurt, Emmy award wining actor Kiefer Sutherland and Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffery Katzenberg will be visible at the event.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
