Hong Kong FILMART used to be the highlight of the year for us - good food, lively neighbourhood, exciting market, great meetings. However this year the prospect of going is not bright - because of the coronavirus spreading, we think that most attendees will not come and the market might be very dead as a result.
Every year I meet most of my Asian contacts here in HK, not just Chinese and locals, but also the South Koreans, Japanese and other South-east Asian filmmakers, producers and distributors. Perhaps this builds a chance for us to find ways to negotiate online, and the positive side of this is that it is eco-friendly with minimal CO2 emissions.
Yes, I reflect very much on the nature of our business - creating bridges between Europe and Asia has its costs. The climate in the world is changing drastically. Long ago I came across a quote where it said: Nature will always find its balance, but would humans fit into the balance?
This winter in Norway is a very warm one - it was the first time I experienced a winter in Oslo without snow. Ten years ago when I stepped foot in this wonderful fairytale country, the winter temperatures in Oslo were -20 degrees at its coldest, and I could hike on the ice on the fjord safely for 1 hour. Birds are confused - they started chirping their spring mating calls in January, traditionally the coldest winter month of the year. It never dropped below -5 degrees this year.
I digress. However this is related to the coronavirus - it is speculated that the virus hopped from the wild bats sold in Wuhan, China to humans. All the wild animals consumed in China are starting to endanger human beings. is this Nature's way of taking revenge? Are we humans being too commericalised, without respect or regard for the life of sentient beings?
As a result of my reflections, I am turning to paperless ways of satisfying my handwritten notetaking compulsion - my partner bought me a reMarkable - what I call a dumb electronic device that allows you to take notes without being distracted by the internet. I resolve to save the Earth in small ways - minimising post-its, use of scotchtape (microplastic), and not buying notebooks this year and using purely my reMarkable for notetaking, sketching, doodling.
Perhaps not going to HK is a good exercise in saving the Earth too. I used to want to belong to the Mile High club with thousands of clocked up miles, but now I see that is foolish. I researched into trains to travel to European film festivals, but it costs three to four times more than a flight, and usually more than a day's travel with five - seven changes from Oslo to Berlin or Cannes. Unfortunately, it clashes with both financial sense and time constraints.
So for now, I struggle with my inner drive for the business to succeed and the needs of the environment. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy, and best of luck to your projects!
xoxo
NFG lady boss
Comments