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After resounding success in Berlin and Dˆ¢sseldorf, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin (HKETO Berlin) is continuing on its journey to stage Hong Kong Film Festivals to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). As part of the fourth biennial China Time Hamburg festival, HKETO Berlin is holding the Hong Kong Film Festival 2012 in Hamburg from August 16 to 29 in co-operation with Metropolis Kino. "A Simple Life", the award-winning film directed by Ann Hui, was again selected as the opening film.
Since 2006, the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg has leveraged on the China Time festival to demonstrate its China expertise. A diverse programme provides the latest information on the long-standing and close relationship between Hamburg and China, including Hong Kong. Recognising that Hong Kong and Hamburg share many similarities in being gateways, the Director of HKETO Berlin, Mr Ivan Lee, highlighted the potential for further co-operation between the two cities in his welcoming remarks at the opening reception. He said, "Being harbour cities, both cities play the role of important logistics and maritime centres for our respective hinterlands. Sharing a similar business sense, both cities have much potential to build on the strong bilateral relations."
Apart from logistics, the creative industry is one of Hong Kong's growth industries, with the film industry being one of the driving forces. Over the years, Hong Kong films have gained considerable worldwide acclaim. In recent years, Hong Kong's film industry has broadened its horizons through closer co-operation with Mainland China. The Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement has vastly expanded Hong Kong's access to the Mainland's movie market. The producer and scriptwriter of "A Simple Life", Mr Roger Lee, described the advantages of this collaboration: "Hong Kong's film industry has a symbiotic relationship with the Mainland's film studios. The Mainland benefits from the technical know-how of the production crew and the box office draw of the Hong Kong actors. In return, Hong Kong's film industry benefits from the financial and location resources from China."
About 150 guests attended the reception and the screening of "A Simple Life" in Metropolis Kino, among them senior state government officials. Leading figures from the cultural and business sectors also graced the occasion. The Hong Kong Film Festival 2012 in Hamburg will continue until August 29 and is presenting a wide range of productions from multi-million-dollar blockbusters such as "The Great Magician" to independent productions such as "Big Blue Lake".
HKETO Berlin is organising a series of events to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the HKSAR. After the German premiere of "A Simple Life" at the 30th Munich Film Festival and the film festivals in Berlin, Dˆ¢sseldorf and Hamburg, Vienna will also host its own edition of the Hong Kong Film Festival from October 1 to 4. The Hong Kong Children's Choir will travel to Germany to stage concerts in Berlin's Lindenkirche and Hamburg's Miralles Saal on August 23 and August 26 respectively. There will also be celebration events in other cities under the purview of HKETO Berlin.
Ends/Friday, August 17, 2012
Issued at HKT 13:01
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