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At the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Film Festival (HKFF) 2010 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today (March 17), the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, said he was delighted to see growing co-operation between Hong Kong and Malaysia in film production and in sharing the experience of great cinema.
The HKFF was co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Singapore and 988 Radio Station Malaysia, with the support of Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC). It will be held in Kuala Lumpur from March 26 to 28, showcasing eight quality Hong Kong films to the Malaysian audience.
Mr Tsang said, "It is appropriate that the curtain rises with a co-production - At The End Of Daybreak. Not only is the film a multi-award winner, it is also a great example of co-operation between Hong Kong and Malaysia. It is the work of a Malaysian director with a cast of talented actors from Malaysia and Hong Kong."
He stressed that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is fully supportive of its film industry, with its Film Services Office providing free one-stop service for filmmakers filming in Hong Kong and the Film Development Fund giving financial support to the industry.
In addition, the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) with the Mainland of China has opened the door for Hong Kong-Mainland co-productions, he added.
Malaysian Deputy Minister for Information, Communication and Culture, Senator Heng Seai Kie, also attended the HKFF opening ceremony as a guest of honour.
The opening ceremony was followed by the gala premiere screening of At The End Of Daybreak. The director, Mr Ho Yuhang, and the cast, including Ms Wai Ying-hung, Mr Chui Tien-you and Ms Ng Meng Hui, were there to meet the audience.
Meanwhile, the Director of HKETO in Singapore, Ms Subrina Chow, said at the HKFF press conference in the morning that following the encouraging response of the Malaysian audience to the pioneer event last year, the second HKFF continues the effort to enhance social exchange and promote co-operation between Hong Kong and Malaysia in culture and the arts.
The HKETO in Singapore, which represents the HKSAR Government in the ASEAN region, is committed to strengthening economic and trade relations as well as enhancing cultural and other exchanges between Hong Kong and the ASEAN countries.
Ms Chow said the eight films featured in the HKFF are: At The End of Daybreak, The Way We Are, KJ: Music and Life, Mr Cinema, Split Second Murders, Happy Funeral, I Corrupt All Cops, and Nobody's Perfect. Most of them have not been previously screened in Malaysian cinemas.
The selection of films covers a good variety of genres, ranging from drama, comedy and romance to crime thriller and documentary. Four are winners of prominent film awards.
Ms Chow said that to express appreciation for the faithful support of the Malaysian audience for Hong Kong films, admission to all HKFF screenings was open to the public and free of charge. HKFF movie-goers would also get a chance to win a Hong Kong trip.
After the press conference, there was an HKFF film workshop where the director and cast of At The End Of Daybreak shared their experience in film making with some 150 students and other members of the audience.
The HKFF screenings will be held in GSC Pavilion KL, GSC Mid Valley and GSC 1 Utama from March 26 to 28. Details of ticket collection and further information of the film festival are available at these websites: (www.hketosin.gov.hk), (www.988.com.my) or (www.gsc.com.my).
Ends/Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Issued at HKT 21:41
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