The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will stage "75 Years of Cinematic Glamour - An Exhibition of Sil-Metropole Film Stills and Posters" at the Exhibition Hall of the HKFA from November 7 to July 5 next year. The exhibition features precious stills, posters and other promotional materials rarely seen in recent years of film productions of Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd since the 1950s for viewers to experience the unique charm of Sil-Metropole productions from different eras.
 
     Since 1950, Sil-Metropole and its three predecessors, Great Wall Movie Enterprises Ltd (Great Wall), Feng Huang Motion Picture Co (Feng Huang) and Sun Luen Film Co (Sun Luen), have produced countless beloved classic films for 75 years and have held a pivotal role in the Hong Kong film industry. The unique cinematic styles and the charisma of film stars in Sil-Metropole productions from different eras are showcased from various perspectives in the five thematic zones of the exhibition.
 
     Precious film stills and posters released from the founding of the three predecessor film companies until the 1970s and 1980s are showcased at the zone "The Works of Great Wall, Feng Huang and Sun Luen" in five categories: Reflecting Reality, Evocations of the Past, Literary Adaptations, Splendid Scenery and Martial Arts Revitalised. The posters and film stills include those from "So Siu Siu" (1962), one of the earliest Hong Kong films filmed on location on the Mainland; "The Golden Eagle" (1964), the first film shot on location in Inner Mongolia, capturing the region's majestic wilderness; and "The Shaolin Temple" (1982), featuring a cast of renowned martial arts masters from the Mainland.
 
     Great Wall, Feng Huang and Sun Luen merged in 1982 to form Sil-Metropole to uphold the legacy and break new ground while producing works that remain relevant to the times. The zone "Sil-Metropole: Bridging the Past and the Future" features posters and stills of Sil-Metropole films after the merger. These include the Korean release poster and film still of "The Romance of Book & Sword" (1987), an adaptation from Jin Yong's classic martial arts novel; and a poster, drawn by illustrator Yuen Tai-yung, of the film "Cageman" (1992), winner of four awards at the 12th Hong Kong Film Awards.
 
     In the early 1950s, painter Wong Kum moved to Hong Kong, where he began his career as a leading figure in the field of creating large advertising billboards outside cinemas. He also designed film posters, producing a prolific body of work for Great Wall, Feng Huang and Sun Luen. His precious promotional paintings and artworks are displayed in the zone "The Art of Wong Kum", including a poster rendering the key characters of "Chu Yuan" (1977) in watercolour to evoke a sense of solemn and tragic grandeur, an original artwork and film stills poster of "The Enigmatic Case" (1980) with abstract composition and a heightened sense of mystery; and an original art work and film still poster of "The Drummer" (1983), which depicts youthful aspirations with a dazzling rainbow.
 
     Certain specially selected authentic film promotional materials are displayed in a showcase. These include a brochure of "The Three Loves" (1956) starring renowned dancer Mao Mei; an issue of the magazine "The Great Wall Pictorial", featuring sketch portraits of characters from "Aren't the Kids Lovely?" (1953) by renowned artist Huang Yongyu; a New Year greeting card promoting the Yue opera film "My Darling Princess" (1964), starring actress Hsia Moon as a wilful princess; and a handbill printed by a cinema in Southeast Asia to promote the local release of the film "It So Happens to a Woman" (1955), with Cantonese opera virtuoso Hung Sin Nui in her first lead role in a Mandarin film.
 
     Trailers of 23 films from 1958 to 1992 will be shown at the zone "Trailer Showcase" for viewers to appreciate how trailers attract ticket buyers by spotlighting the best parts of the films. In addition, visitors can also catch a glimpse of film stars from different eras through these trailers, including Hsia Moon and Fu Che in "The Eternal Love" (1960), Pak Yan and Chow Chung in "So Siu Siu", Nina Paw and Henry Fong in "White Haired Devil Lady" (1980), and more.
 
     In the zone "Oral History: Film Veterans on Sil-Metropole", three video highlights of interviews by the HKFA of filmmakers affiliated with Sil-Metropole, sharing their memories of the past and their insights, will be screened. The filmmakers include one of Sun Luen's founders, Lo Duen; directors Bow Fong and Hu Siao-fung; actors Hsia Moon, Pak Yan, Nina Paw, Peter Cheng and Hui So-ying, among others. An interview with painter Wong Kum will also be screened at the zone.
 
     The exhibition also features two installations for taking pictures. Visitors can take their pictures with stills of classic films to become part of the cinematic world and at a feature wall with front covers of film brochures from the past.
 
     Free screenings of selected Sil-Metropole productions and two seminars will be held during the exhibition period. Details of the screenings and seminars will be announced on the HKFA website (www.filmarchive.gov.hk) later. Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd is the partner organisation for the exhibition.
 
     Admission is free. For details, please visit: www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en/web/hkfa/2025/75-sil-metropole-e/pe-event-2025-75-sil-metropole-e.html or call 2739 2139.

Ends/Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Issued at HKT 16:57

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