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Following is the speech (English only) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, at the opening of the Hong Kong Film Festival at Village Cinema in Sydney, Australia, today (Tuesday):
Ms Jones, Mrs Wallis, guests, ladies and gentlemen,
I'm delighted to be here to officially open the Hong Kong Film Festival in Sydney - a city that is fast gaining a reputation as Australia's answer to "Hollywood" following the opening of the new Fox Studios earlier this month and, also, as the location for several blockbusters. The Matrix is a recent movie that readily springs to mind.
Hong Kong, too, has featured prominently in a number of international movies, but today it's the turn of our artists to share the spotlight in Sydney. And here I would like to extend a warm welcome to Jacob Cheung, the director, and Qi Qi and Shaun Tam, two of the stars of tonight's opening film "The Kid" - a tender and heart-wrenching film involving a battle over custody of a child. I'm sure you'll empathize with the way Jacob Cheung has tackled this highly emotional subject.
As you will see from the programme, the history of cinema in Hong Kong dates back just over one hundred years, but it wasn't until the early 1930's that the industry really blossomed with the advent of the Cantonese "talkies". They've been "talking" ever since and the films continue to provide entertainment for audiences around the globe producing "superstars" such as Jackie Chan and the late Bruce Lee, who, even today, has a cult-like following.
While the industry may not be as prolific as it was in the early part of this decade, Hong Kong still produced some 90 films last year. But just as importantly, Hong Kong's creative talent - the directors, actors and producers - are beginning to make names for themselves, and for Hong Kong, on the international scene. Michele Yeoh, John Woo, Chow Yun-fat and Sammo Hung are just some of the names. They are winning acclaim for their unique style, incisive direction and sometimes off-beat story lines.
We in the government are also playing our part, behind the scenes, to encourage the industry. We're promoting 'Hong Kong on location' as a film centre with the facilities, expertise and support for every movie occasion. We've established a Film Services Office, which is streamlining procedures for location shooting, providing location scouting services, and making land available for film production facilities.
These measures, together with the efforts of the industry itself, should help to revitalise the movie business in the years ahead. In the meantime, I sincerely hope you will be stimulated and entertained by what you see at this year's Hong Kong Film Festival. Between now and early next month you'll have the opportunity to see a selection of nine of Hong Kong's vibrant and original cinema productions. There are movies for all tastes - action thrillers, romantic dramas, and the inevitable martial arts fantasy epic. What better way to unwind!
I am sure you will not only enjoy tonight's premiere, and the movies to be shown during the next 10 days, but also appreciate the talent and creativeness which have made Hong Kong one of the world's leading film centres.
Thank you.
Photo:The HK Film Festival, staged to tie in with the HK Promotion in Australia this year, was launched in Sydney with the screening of Mr Jacob Cheung's "The Kid". Mr Cheung and actor Mr Shaun Tam flew from HK to officiate at the festival. The festival showcases nine quality films produced recently, ranging from romance and martial arts fantasy to light comedy and urban drama. Pictured before the launching of the Festival were (from left to right) Mr Tam, Mrs Tam, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan; Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting, Mr Kwong Ki-chi; Director, Mr Jacob Cheung; Mrs Cheung, Chief Executive of Australian Film Institute, Ms Ruth Jones; and Director of HK Economic and Trade Office in Sydney, Mrs Jenny Wallis.
End/Tuesday, November 23, 1999
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