*****************************************************
Taking a trip to the cinema is a great way to cool off during the hot summer. The Summer International Film Festival 2013, a signature event of the "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign, will present 21 films from nine countries and regions from August 13 to 27.
The festival will open with "Unbeatable", the latest action movie directed by Hong Kong director Dante Lam, and starring Nick Cheung, Eddie Peng and Crystal Lee. The director and the stars will meet the audience at the opening ceremony at the Grand Cinema at Elements, Tsim Sha Tsui, on August 13.
The festival will premiere American director Woody Allen's latest film "Blue Jasmine", the TV series "Top of the Lake" co-directed by New Zealand's Jane Campion, and French director François Ozon's "Young & Beautiful".
Another must-see movie is "Red Obsession", a documentary about the rise of French Bordeaux wines filmed in France, Hong Kong and the Mainland.
"Young & Beautiful", a 2013 Cannes Film Festival Competition selection, will close the festival on August 27.
The full list of movies, show times and cinemas can be found on the festival's website: www.hkiff.org.hk .
*******
The Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld 1st International String Competition for Violin and Cello will be held in Hong Kong from August 12 to 17 at the Auditorium of Tsuen Wan Town Hall.
Violinists and cellists as young as 8 and from around the world will be in Hong Kong to compete for a host of prizes. The competition is divided into three major categories: Professional Group, Open Group and Aficionados.
This competition offers many different prizes totalling US$500,000 (approximately HK$3.9 million). The top prize winner in the violin category will receive a cash prize of US$25,000 (approximately HK$195,000) and a violin handmade by an Italian master. The top prize winner in the cello category will receive US$25,000 and a cello handmade by a German master.
The competitions from August 13 to 16 are open to the public with free admission. Tickets for the Opening Gala (August 12) and the closing Winner Concert (August 17) can be purchased at URBTIX outlets.
Details of the competition and its schedule are available at the competition's website: www.grandmaster.org.hk/index.php .
*******
Young dreamers will be under the spotlight at the "Free Your Dream Power" Dream Stage 2013 as they compete for the Centum Charitas Foundation Dream Power Award at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai from 3pm on August 18.
Dream Stage is a competition that helps young people fulfil their dreams. The theme for this year's event is "A Home for Dreams. Light Up Your Dreams".
Individuals and teams will go on stage to share their dreams with the adjudicators and the audience and describe how they will go about realising them. The entrants will also give performances and show photos and videos.
The individual or team that receives the most votes from the adjudicators and the audience will receive a cash prize of $50,000.
For admission, please send requests for free tickets by fax to 3544 0728 or by email to info@dreamstage.hk.
*******
More than 100 tea masters from Hong Kong and overseas will turn up at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to support the International KamCha Competition 2013. The event is a highlight programme to be staged on each day of the Hong Kong International Tea Fair, which will be held from August 15 to 17.
The Hong Kong champion tea master will compete with the champions from Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Toronto and Sydney for the international title on August 17.
The six final contestants will use the tea leaves, tea bags, tea pots and other utensils provided by the organiser to blend their finest cup of milk tea for the judges.
The second category of the competition will see entrants blending the best "yuan yang" (coffee with milk tea). This will be held on August 18 at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) Food Expo 2013.
The Association of Coffee and Tea of Hong Kong is organising the events with an aim of promoting the "cha chaan teng" (local-style café), Hong Kong-style milk tea and the "yuan yang" to tourists.
*******
People attending the HKTDC Food Expo 2013 from August 15 to 19 will also be able to visit four social enterprises that are promoting caring consumption.
The participating social enterprises will be selling a wide variety of items ranging from eco-friendly household products to homemade food, organic food and health drinks.
*******
Junior Chamber International Peninsula will host the HK Loving Shots - Short Film Contest Award Ceremony and the launch ceremony of the Care and Love in Hong Kong campaign at Central Oasis (Central Market) in Central on August 18.
Entrants in the short film contest had to convey the theme of "Care and Love in Hong Kong" through their creative work. The winning entries will be shown at Central Oasis until September 1.
*******
Also on August 18, Hong Kong will celebrate the first annual Grandparents Day. The organiser, the Hong Kong Sustainable Development Research Institute, will host an opening ceremony at the Domain mall in Yau Tong from 11am to 1pm.
The event aims to promote active ageing and better quality of life for all people as they age.
During the event, grandparents will model clothing alongside their grandchildren on the catwalk in a Grandparents Fashion Show, and the Most Active Grandparents, as nominated by their families, will share their experiences in achieving inter-generational harmony.
The organiser would like to see the third Sunday in August celebrated each year as Grandparents Day.
*******
All these events support the "Hong Kong: Our Home" public participation campaign, which aims to inject positive energy into society, foster social cohesion and promote care, mutual help and solidarity in the community.
More than 220 Partner Organisations have so far pledged support for the Campaign.
Altogether, the Government and Partner Organisations are organising more than 900 events/activities under the four supporting themes of the Campaign from the end of April to the end of December this year.
Full details of the Campaign can be found on the website www.hkourhome.gov.hk.
Ends/Sunday, August 11, 2013
Issued at HKT 11:00
NNNN
