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"Focus: Hong Kong" at 9th FILMASIA Festival in Prague (with photo)
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     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) is presenting the "Focus: Hong Kong" section of the 9th FILMASIA Festival in Prague from November 28 to December 2. About 200 guests from the government, cultural and business sectors attended the opening event on November 28 (Prague time) in Cinema Svetozor. The opening film, "Blind Detective", a crime comedy directed by renowned Hong Kong director Johnnie To and starring Hong Kong movie stars Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng, delighted the audience and was followed by a post-screening reception.

     Presented in co-operation with Axman Production, the "Focus: Hong Kong" section features 10 contemporary movies from renowned directors, including Johnnie To's acclaimed police thriller "Drug War", Dante Lam's latest action drama "Unbeatable", Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's award-winning "Infernal Affairs" and Pang Ho-cheung's subdued yet touching "Isabella".

     In his welcome remarks, the Director of the HKETO Berlin, Mr Ivan K B Lee, highlighted Hong Kong's thriving creative industry and encouraged Czech film production companies and filmmakers to take advantage of the unique opportunities in Hong Kong.

     "Hong Kong has more than a century's history in filmmaking and has one of the largest and most dynamic film entertainment industries in the world. As an open society that encourages creativity and diversity, there is much scope for further collaboration between creative talents from the Czech Republic and Hong Kong. I encourage Czech creative talents and entrepreneurs to use Hong Kong as the super-connector between Mainland China and the rest of the world," he said.

     Mr Lee further emphasised the importance of the strengthening collaboration between Hong Kong's film industry and Mainland China's film studios. "Through the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, our trade agreement with Mainland China, Hong Kong's access to the Mainland's movie market is widening and collaboration between Hong Kong and Mainland China's film studios is intensifying," he said. While benefiting from Mainland China's financial and location resources, Hong Kong could offer technical know-how, great actors and not least its international outlook. 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.

     After the Hong Kong Film Festivals in Hamburg (October 8 to 14) and Berlin (November 14 to 17) and the support of the Hong Kong focus of the Five Flavours Festival in Warsaw (November 4 to 11), Prague is the final stage of the 2013 series of Hong Kong Film Festivals in central and eastern Europe.

     Link to the Prague programme: www.filmasia.cz/ .

About HKETO Berlin

     HKETO Berlin is the official Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in the Czech Republic, as well as Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Ends/Monday, December 2, 2013
Issued at HKT 18:41

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