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The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) embarked on its journey to stage Hong Kong Film Festivals in Central and Eastern Europe. More than 200 guests from the government, cultural and business sectors attended the reception in Kommunales Kino Metropolis yesterday (October 8, Hamburg time) to celebrate the opening of the Hong Kong Film Festival in Hamburg from October 8 to 14. Following the reception, the opening film "Floating City", an intriguing melodrama directed by Yim Ho and starring Hong Kong movie stars, Aaron Kwok and Charlie Young, delighted the audience.
In co-operation with Kommunales Kino Metropolis, the HKETO Berlin presents seven contemporary Hong Kong movies at this year's edition of the Film Festival including the 1930 gangster epic "The Last Tycoon", the touching independent production "Fig" and the award-winning thriller "Cold War". In 2012, 16 Hong Kong movies won international awards, among them "Cold War", "Vulgaria" and "The Silent War", all to be screened in the coming days. At the 68th Venice International Film Festival, the film "A Simple Life" received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress for Deanie Ip and Wong Kar-wai's epic martial arts drama "The Grandmaster" was selected as the opening movie at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival 2013.
In his welcome remarks, the Director of HKETO Berlin, Mr Ivan Lee, encouraged Hamburg's film production companies and filmmakers to take advantage of the unique opportunities in Hong Kong: "Hong Kong is embracing creative input of both East and West. I encourage German companies, not least those of you in the creative industries, to use Hong Kong as the super-connector between China and the rest of the world."
Mr Lee further emphasised the importance of the strengthening collaboration between Hong Kong's film industry and Mainland China's film studios: "Hong Kong offers technical know-how and great actors while benefiting from Mainland China's financial and location resources". This co-operation is supported by the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which expands Hong Kong's access to the Mainland's movie market. Hong Kong also regularly hosts important film-related events such as the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market. They are usually held in March or April every year.
Another Hong Kong Film Festival will be held in Berlin from November 14 to 17. Furthermore, the HKETO Berlin will support the Hong Kong focuses of the Five Flavours Film Festival in Warsaw (November 4 to 11) and the FILMASIA in Prague (November 28 to December 1) this year.
For the programme of Hong Kong Film Festival in Hamburg, please refer to www.hketoberlin.gov.hk/download/pdf/HongKong_FilmFestival_Hamburg_Programm_2013.pdf
About the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin
The HKETO Berlin is the official HKSAR Government representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Ends/Thursday, October 10, 2013
Issued at HKT 01:41
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