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The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Brussels (HKETO, Brussels), hosted a dinner reception to honour Hong Kong cinema at the 14th Far East Film Festival on Sunday, April 22 (Italian time), at which director Johnnie To received the Golden Mulberry Career Achievement Award. Taking place in Udine, Italy, from April 20 to 28, the event is the biggest European film festival focusing on movies from East Asia.
This year the Festival is giving a prominent focus to Hong Kong films, with screenings including Mr To's Romancing in Thin Air, Pang Ho-cheung's Love in a Puff, Love in the Buff and Vulgaria; the world premiere of Fung Chih-chiang's first feature as a director, The Bounty; Cash Chin's The 33D Invader; Jeff Lau's East Meets West 2011; Derek Yee's The Great Magician; Roy Chow's Nightfall; and Dante Lam's The Viral Factor. As Chairman of the Film and Media Arts Group at the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Mr To was at the Festival to present Fresh Wave, a programme of short films from Hong Kong's next generation of directors such as Wong Wai-kit, Mo Lai and Li Yin-fung.
In addition to its support for the Udine festival, the HKETO, Brussels is also promoting Hong Kong culture in Italy with other events this month. The Hong Kong Film Panorama is being held in Florence from April 23 to 25, while works from City Contemporary Dance Company's Jumping Frames International Dance Video Festival were screened in Florence on April 23 and 24, and will be screened in Rome on April 26 and 27.
The Hong Kong Film Panorama is an annual film festival organised by the HKETO, Brussels to bring some of Hong Kong's latest productions to new audiences in Europe. In co-operation with its local partner, the Toscana Film Commission, Florence is the seventh city to host the 2011-2012 Hong Kong Film Panorama, after Brussels, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona. Six films are on the programme, namely Alex Law's Echoes of the Rainbow, Ann Hui's All About Love, Barbara Wong's Break Up Club, Freddie Wong's The Drunkard, Ivy Ho's Crossing Hennessy and Chan Hing-kai and Janet Chun's La Comédie Humaine.
Speaking at the opening reception of the Hong Kong Film Panorama in Florence on April 23, the Special Representative for Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Miss Mary Chow, said that creative industries, including the film industry, are one of six new growth economic sectors that the Hong Kong Government has been actively promoting.
"The Film Development Fund, launched in 2007, has supported 21 productions, many with directors and producers engaged in commercial productions for the first time," Miss Chow said, adding that beyond sponsorship, the Government also ensures that the right environment is in place for creative industries to flourish.
"Free speech and the free flow of information, ideas and talent represent key elements of our cherished values and they are guaranteed by our constitutional document, the Basic Law," she said.
Miss Chow noted that internationally, Hong Kong's cinema is perhaps its best-known art form, but the city had a lot to offer in other areas.
"This is why I am particularly pleased this year to introduce a new element by presenting the City Contemporary Dance Company, which will screen its dance video of the Jumping Frames International Dance Video Festival".
Jumping Frames presented The Best of Hong Kong Dance Video - 15 Years of Hong Kong Dance on Screen, ten original works by 24 directors and choreographers, and five videos by renowned dance video director Mr Maurice Lai, who will introduce the works, and choreographers Mr Chou Shu-yi, Mr Yuri Ng, Mr Ong Yong-lock and Mr Noel Pong.
Ends/Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Issued at HKT 20:16
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