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Promoting the cultural and creative industries was a priority for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, the Principal Representative of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo, Mrs Jennie Chok, said today (October 22).
Mrs Chok was speaking at the Hong Kong China Contents Entertainment Business Seminar organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
Noting that Hong Kong had been complimentarily called the "Hollywood of the East", she said Hong Kong had produced many remarkable movies that had captured the hearts of viewers from around the world and won awards at major international film festivals for their unique style, incisive direction and sometimes off-beat storylines.
"As a result, many of our Hong Kong film directors and actors have become household names, widely known to the international viewing public," Mrs Chok said.
"Hong Kong is in fact considered by movie makers, both local and overseas, to be an excellent location for filming, because of its magnificent cityscape, and rich East-meets-West cultural tradition.
"In Hong Kong we also enjoy a wealth of outstanding locations, first-rate actors and technicians, state-of-the-art facilities, high quality production services and an environment conducive to free artistic creation", Mrs Chok said.
Pointing out that the film industry was a flagship of the creative industries of Hong Kong, Mrs Chok said the Government had been supporting the development of the film industry through measures such as stepping up enforcement action against intellectual property infringement activities, provision of funding support to the industry, as well as helping the industry promote Hong Kong films overseas and facilitating market access to Mainland China under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) framework.
Noting that the criteria for establishing the status of Hong Kong Service Supplier to enjoy CEPA preferences are "nationality neutral", she said that foreign companies were welcome to establish in Hong Kong or to join forces with local enterprises to make the full use of CEPA opportunities.
Before closing, Mrs Chok also introduced the Hong Kong Film Festival, organised as part of the Tokyo International Film Festival, which will be held at the Orchard Hall of Tokyo Bunkamura from October 23 to 25.
The Hong Kong Film Festival will feature the movies "Triangle", "Invisible Target" and "Blood Brothers" that will be shown in Japan for the first time, and "After This Our Exile" that won the Best Asian Award in the Tokyo International Film Festival last year.
The Hong Kong Film Festival is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Ends/Monday, October 22, 2007
Issued at HKT 15:00
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