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The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin (HKETO, Berlin) sponsored a luncheon at the Capital Regions for Cinema (CRC) today (February 15, Berlin time) which has chosen Hong Kong as the special focus region this year. About 170 film makers and producers from Germany, France, Italy and Spain attended the CRC event to meet with a delegation of Hong Kong film makers sponsored by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSARG), with a view to exploring co-operation opportunities. The delegation consists of Mr Wellington Fung, Mr Alex Law, Ms Mabel Cheung, Ms Ivy Ho, Ms Barbara Wong, Mr Vincent Chui, Mr Derek Tsang, Mr Derek Chiu, Mr Kenneth Bi, Mr Jimmy Wan, Ms Yan Yan Mak, Mr Adam Wong, Mr Clement Cheng and Mr Elliot Au.
In his speech at the CRC event, Director of HKETO, Berlin, Mr Stephen Wong, said, "The CRC event provides an excellent platform for film makers from different parts of the world to exchange ideas and discuss co-operation projects,"
"Hong Kong is driven by talented people with great zeal for excellence, and we are uniquely positioned as the hub where 'East-meets-West' on the international platform. In the past decade, Hong Kong movies and film talent won over 300 international awards, including at the Cannes, Berlin International Film Festival and Venice Film Festival," Mr Wong continued.
"As the representative office of HKSARG in central and eastern Europe, HKETO, Berlin has also been promoting the film industry in this region. For instance, we held a reception and press conference in February last year to mark the participation of four Hong Kong movies in the Berlin International Film Festival 2010. About 250 film producers, directors and agents from the film industry in Germany as well as government officials, diplomats and representatives from business and professional sectors attended the reception. One of the movies 'Echoes of the Rainbow', produced and directed by Mr Alex Law and Ms Mabel Cheung, won the Crystal Bear for the Best Feature Film in the Generation section of the Berlin International Film Festival 2010," Mr Wong added.
"Furthermore, Hong Kong is a place where east meets west. It also presents a gateway and stepping stone for international companies to tap into the enormous China market. The implementation of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) has broadened the horizon for Hong Kong to explore the Mainland market. In 2010, seven out of the top 10 domestic box office films in the Mainland were Hong Kong-Mainland co-productions.
"Hong Kong's film industry has the experience, the contacts and the know-how to make the most out of the new opportunities emerging in Mainland China. We welcome overseas film makers to capitalise on our experience and to tap the benefits offered under CEPA in exploring the Mainland film market," Mr Wong concluded.
Ends/Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Issued at HKT 01:03
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