The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (Brussels ETO) is supporting the "Heroic Bloodshed: A Tribute to John Woo" programme, honouring the legendary Hong Kong filmmaker, at the Offscreen Film Festival (Festival) taking place in Brussels, Belgium, from March 17 to 28 (Brussels time). The programme is sponsored by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency and the Film Development Fund under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government.

     The Festival is screening seven classic films by John Woo, namely "A Better Tomorrow", "A Better Tomorrow II", "The Killer", "Hard Boiled", "Bullet in the Head", "Hard Target", and "Face/Off". In addition, Asian cinema expert Julien Sévéon delivered a talk on March 19 at Cinematek, exploring Woo's early career in Hong Kong and providing insight into his international impact.

     To foster cultural exchanges on this occasion, Brussels ETO hosted a reception on March 19, bringing together over 120 distinguished guests from the film industry, cultural sector, and public authorities.

     Speaking at the event, the Special Representative for the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Affairs to the European Union, Ms Shirley Yung, described Woo as a quintessential Hong Kong filmmaker who embodies the city's role as a cultural bridge in fostering international exchange. 

     She highlighted how his signature style, cultivated in Hong Kong, has influenced Hollywood filmmakers and captivated audiences worldwide, while noting that his films, rooted in Chinese storytelling traditions, have successfully showcased the cultural charisma of Hong Kong's films on the global stage.

     Ms Yung stressed the HKSAR Government is committed to fostering the ongoing development of the city's arts, culture, and creative industries. "To date, a total of over HK$9 billion has been injected into the CreateSmart Initiative and the Film Development Fund. These investments and our mega events reflect our vision of positioning Hong Kong as a premier hub for international cultural exchanges,” she said.

     Established in 2008, the Offscreen Film Festival is an annual non-competitive event in Brussels, Belgium showcasing cult, independent, and unconventional films from around the world.

Ends/Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Issued at HKT 20:33

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