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Four of the 440 films in the 40th Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) programme are from Hong Kong: "Firestorm", "Once Upon a Time in Shanghai", "Rigor Mortis" and "The Midnight After".
"The Midnight After" is one of 30 North American premieres this year at the Festival, the largest and most well-attended film festival in the United States.
"The four Hong Kong movies featured in this year's Seattle International Film Festival showcase the talents of a new generation of Hong Kong directors," said the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco, Ms Subrina Chow, at the Hong Kong Reception today (May 19, Seattle time).
About 80 guests from the film industry and the business community joined the Hong Kong Reception, hosted by the Office before the screening of "Firestorm".
"The directorial debut of Alan Yuen starring renowned Hong Kong artist Andy Lau, 'Firestorm' was one of the biggest box office hits in both Hong Kong and the Mainland of China last year," added Ms Chow.
"We have treasured our partnership with the SIFF over the past decade, which has brought many good Hong Kong productions to the audience in Seattle.
"Creativity, free flow of information and freedom of expression are highly valued in Hong Kong. These are also the essential elements that have fostered the growth of our film and other creative industries over the past century. We are proud of our film talents, more and more of whom are gaining recognition around the world. In the past 10 years alone, Hong Kong films and film talents have won over 300 international awards," Ms Chow continued.
"Rigor Mortis", the first feature film by director Juno Mak, was most recently awarded the Silver Raven prize at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and named Best Asian Movie in the Singapore Entertainment Awards 2014.
"The Hong Kong Government is a firm supporter of creative industries. We strive to enhance our competitiveness by nurturing new talents. The Hong Kong Film Development Fund, which provides up to 40 per cent funding for small to medium-budget films, is one major initiative of the Government to support the long-term development of the Hong Kong film industry," she said.
Ends/Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:44
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