/PRCWT/Guangzhou, April 20, 2023——Today, Digital Domain Holdings Limited (DDHL), a Hong Kong listed visual effects and virtual human technology company, announces that it will serve as a show sponsor for the 16th annual Mastercard OFF CAMERA International Festival of Independent Cinema. Created to help highlight some of the best local independent films and filmmakers and from around the world, the festival will be held in Krakow, Poland, on April 28 – May 7.
The Mastercard OFF CAMERA Festival will screen nearly 400 films over ten days, featuring several jury events headlined by the "Making Way" main dramatic competition. An international jury will review a selection of 10 films from some of the top indie filmmakers in the world, and the winner will receive the prestigious Andrzej Wajda Krakow Film Award. A second competition will highlight and honor the best films from Poland over the last year. American Indies – dedicated to daring, uncompromising and fascinating American cinema and Best of Fests – showcasing interesting productions awarded at international film festivals, that the Polish audience will have an opportunity to see on the silver screen, often for the first time.
"The global landscape has vibrant visual effects and games production industry with several universities producing a steady flow of well-qualified talent," said Szymon Miszczak, Mastercard OFF CAMERA Director. "We are delighted to welcome Digital Domain, a major global player in the visual effects space, to have access to a highly professional and competitive labor pool in the European region."
DDHL notably consists of Oscar-winning visual effects studio Digital Domain, one of the world's premier pre and post-production work providers, making the sponsorship with the Mastercard OFF CAMERA a Festival a natural fit. The VFX studio's recent work includes projects created for an international audience, including the upcoming Warner Bros. blockbuster Blue Beetle, Marvel Studios' episodic series Secret Invasion, Amazon Prime Video's Citadel, and more.
Along with offices in the United States, Canada, China, and India, DDHL continues to expand its presence in Europe following the creation of its fully-owned subsidiary, Digital Domain Capital Partners, in Luxembourg. DDHL has also made strategic investments in several European media and e-commerce companies, including securing minority ownership stakes in Highlight Event & Entertainment AG, the parent company of Germany's Constantin Film, one of Europe's most successful film production and distribution companies, and a frequent contributor to Polish cinema. The money for DDHL's Mastercard OFF CAMERA Festival sponsorship will be provided entirely by proceeds generated from its European operations and partnerships.
"The European film industry has some of the best and most imaginative visual effects and gaming content creators in the world, and many of them are just waiting for an opportunity to show what they can do," said Daniel Seah, CEO of DDHL. "Our sponsorship in the Mastercard Off Camera Film Festival is both a commitment to expand our presence in Europe and a way for us to support some of the world's most talented up-and-coming storytellers and content creators."
