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A new wave of Hong Kong film talents, including Derek Tsang, co-director of "Lover's Discourse", has been specially featured at the Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival over the past few years.
Speaking today (November 9, Toronto time) at a luncheon to welcome young Hong Kong film director Derek Tsang to the 15th edition of the festival, the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto, Miss Gloria Lo, thanked the festival organisers for again picking a Hong Kong film for their opening gala. A capacity crowd attended the Canadian premiere of "Lover's Discourse" by Tsang and Jimmy Wan at the festival's grand opening at the Isabel Bader Theatre last night.
Hong Kong films presented at the festival's annual galas in recent years have included "Gallants" by Clement Cheng and Derek Kwok, "Overhead" by Felix Chong and Alan Mak, Kenneth Bi's "The Drummer" and more. "The showing of yet another Hong Kong film for the opening would no doubt give much encouragement to our new generation of aspiring and talented filmmakers," said Miss Lo.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government nurtures creativity by supporting small- to medium-budget films through the Film Development Fund, and "Lover's Discourse" was partly funded by that programme.
Miss Lo said the festival has helped facilitate cultural exchanges between the East and the West. "There is always a close bond between Hong Kong and Canada," she said. Tsang studied sociology at the University of Toronto, and both Cheng and Bi have lived in Canada before.
"I should say that the Hong Kong film industry has undergone impressive development in recent years, with over 300 international awards received over the past decade, including the latest achievement made by the film 'A Simple Life', directed by Ann Hui," Miss Lo said. "A Simple Life" was recently screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.
"Hong Kong has an excellent environment for creative industries," she said, "thanks to our freedom of expression, free flow of information and exchange of new ideas." Hong Kong is promoting cultural and creative industries, including the film industry, as one of the six industries for its economy.
Apart from "Lover's Discourse", another Hong Kong film, "Overheard 2", an acclaimed Hong Kong action thriller, will be screened by the festival at 7pm on Friday, November 18, at the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts.
Ends/Thursday, November 10, 2011
Issued at HKT 12:40
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