Asia's Filmmakers Meet in Bali

(6/19/2005)

Bali was recently selected as the venue for the second meeting of the Asian Film Commission Network (AFCNet)

Founded in 2004 by Film Commissioners from Japan, Malaysia, Korea, China, Russia, Vietnam and Indonesia (Bali Film Commission), AFCNet is a regionally based, full-service, trade organization of industry professionals dedicated to promoting the region through film.

The AFCNet Conference held in Bali June 16-18, 2005, had as its agenda the discussion of common issues the region's filmmakers confront in bringing world-class film projects to Asia. AFCNet provides members with ongoing and up-to-date broadcast news and industry research on policy issues, technology and management trends, giving the region competitive tools to offer a growing range of locations and services to the world's film industry.

Bali Program

The Bali AFCNet meeting was hosted by the Bali Film Commission with coordination support by Bali Discovery Tours. During the AFCNet's visit to Bali accommodation was generously provided by the Bali Dynasty Resort in South Kuta.

The Board Members and selected invited guests were also treated to memorable gala dinner party at the Four Season Private Estates Villas on Jimbaran Bay. Sponsored by the Four Seasons, the night featured a lavish dinner served in a private garden while a local Keroncong Orchestra provided music and a specially-constructed screen showed rare film clips from footage of Bali shot in the 1930s. The film professionals, suitably relaxed and already impressed with the natural beauty of Bali and the almost endless possibilities it affords film makers, were pleasantly surprised by a surprise display of fireworks that accented the moonlight dinner.

The Bali Film Commission

In informal after-dinner remarks to the group by J.M. Daniels, President Director of Bali Discovery Tours, he welcomed the film professionals to Bali and underlined Bali's keen desire to see some of the major film projects now under consideration for the island eventually materialize.

In individually acknowledging the sponsors for their support of the AFCNet visit, Daniels took the opportunity to give special praise to Deborah Gabinetti of the Bali Film Commission for initially inviting AFCNet to Bali and for her pioneering work to encourage film production activities on the 'island of the Gods." Saying he was certain that her hard work would soon bear fruit, Daniels called Gabinetti "a visionary whose deep love for Bali is expressed in her untiring efforts to seek opportunities to share Bali's beauty and rich culture with the world through film."

AFCNet Participants

AFCNet Board Members attending the Bali meetings included: Park Kwang-Su (Busan Film Commission), Tanaka Mako (Kobe Film Office), Kamil Othman (Malaysia Multimedia Development Corporation), Alexander Doluda (Vladivostok Film Commission), Han Zhi Jun (Changchun Film Studio), Deborah Gabinetti (Bali Film Commission) and Maezaw Tetsuji (Japan Film Commission Promotion Council).

Shown on balidiscovery.com enjoying the gala dinner hosted by the Four Seasons Private Estates is, left to right, Julia Fraser, producer of the Golden Globe award winning film "Osama"; Park Kwang-Su, Chairman of AFCNet from the Busan Film Commission; and Deborah Gabinetti of the Bali Film Commission.