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Three highly-acclaimed Hong Kong films will be screened in this year's Sydney Film Festival, promising to provide Australian viewers, once again, with a fascinating glimpse of the ingenuity and creativity of Hong Kong's talent.
This was the fourth time that the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Sydney (HKETO) had been a cultural partner of the Festival.
Addressing more than 200 guests this evening (June 19, Sydney time) before the screening of one of the films, the Director of the HKETO, Mrs Jenny Wallis, said the Hong Kong Cinema programme also marked the start of HKETO's celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the reunification of Hong Kong with the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997.
In the run-up to 1997, there were many who raised questions about the future of Hong Kong, Mrs Wallis noted. But, ten years on, "Hong Kong is in rude good health", she said. "Our economy has been reaching new highs; our artistic talent is flourishing; and most importantly, our way of life and all the freedoms we had enjoyed before 1997 have not diminished, and nor will they."
Mrs Wallis said that Hong Kong films were gaining increasing recognition internationally, as reflected in the awards they have received from international film festivals and in the moves by Hollywood to acquire the rights to re-make Hong Kong movies.
"Indeed, celebrated US director Martin Scorsese's 2006 film 'The Departed' – which won him an Oscar for best director at the 79th Academy Awards in February this year – was based on the popular 2002 Hong Kong crime thriller, 'Infernal Affairs'."
The Hong Kong Government, she said, was also playing its part behind the scenes to encourage the film industry.
"We're promoting 'Hong Kong on location' as a film centre with the facilities, expertise and support for every movie occasion. And because the film industry has such a major influence on Hong Kong's creative sector, this year's Budget set aside $300 million for the establishment of a new fund to help finance film production and overcome the shortage of talent."
The three outstanding Hong Kong productions, all of them having their Australian premiere at the Festival, are "Eye in the Sky" directed by Yau Nai-hoi and starring Simon Yam, Tony Leung Ka-fai and Kate Tsui; "After This Our Exile" directed by Patrick Tam and starring Aaron Kwok, Charlie Young; as well as "The Heavenly Kings" directed by Daniel Wu and starring Conroy Chan and Andrew Lin.
Ends/Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:18
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