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After a successful showing in Madrid which concluded on February 24 (Madrid time), the Hong Kong Film Panorama, a film festival which tours some of the main European cities every year at the initiative of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Brussels (HKETO, Brussels), opened in Barcelona on February 25 (Spanish time).
Speaking at the opening reception, Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Mary Chow, said this was the sixth consecutive year that the HKETO, Brussels was bringing Hong Kong films to Barcelona audiences, in cooperation with its Spanish partner organisation Casa Asia.
Twelve Hong Kong films will be screened at the Catalan Film Institute from February 25 to March 6. Seven were produced in 2009, namely Ms Ann Hui's "Night and Fog", Mr Kit Hung's "Soundless Windchime" , Mr Wai Ka-fai's "Written By" , Mr Brian Tse and Ms Alice Mak's "McDull Kungfu Ding Ding Dong" , Mr Herman Yau's "Rebellion" , Mr Felix Chong and Mr Alan Mak's "Overheard" and Mr Johnnie To's "Running out of Time" . The five remaining films, Mr Clarence Fok's "Iceman Cometh" , Mr Danny and Mr Oxide Pang's "The Storm Warriors" , Mr Benny Chan's "Invisible Target" , Mr Kirk Wong's "Crime Story" and Mr Johnnie Mak's "The Long Arm of the Law" , are all action movie classics.
"The film and other creative industries have been one of the six new growth economic sectors that Hong Kong has been promoting", Ms Chow said. "With the freedom of expression guaranteed by our Basic Law, the Government's efforts to nurture creativity and to assist small to medium budget movies through the Film Development Fund, I am pleased to say that the Hong Kong film industry has continued to flourish. It is also receiving increasing international recognition. In the past decade Hong Kong films have won over 300 international awards".
Ms Chow noted that apart from film appreciation, there are many other opportunities for cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and Spain. "The first phase of the West Kowloon Cultural District will be commissioned in 2015 and we would welcome Spanish arts and cultural groups to perform there."
Earlier the HKETO, Brussels also supported a programme of Hong Kong films at the 4th Offscreen Film Festival in Brussels, held from February 12 to 21. Offscreen presents independent and unreleased cult, classic and offbeat films from around the world. One of the themes of the 4th edition was a tribute to classic kung-fu films by Shaw Brothers studios.
Offscreen's tribute included eight films, namely Mr Lau Kar-leung's "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin" and "Eight Diagram Pole Fighter", Mr King Hu's "Come Drink With Me" , Mr Sun Chung's "The Avenging Eagle" and "Human Lanterns" , Mr Chan Cheh's "Five Element Ninjas", Mr Kuei Chih-hung's "The Boxer's Omen", and Mr Chor Yuen's "Intimate Confessions of a Chinese courtesan" . Several of the films were introduced by renowned expert and film critic Mr Tony Reyns, who also gave a lecture on the history of Shaw Brothers and Hong Kong film director Mr King Hu.
Ends/Saturday, February 26, 2011
Issued at HKT 04:00
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