Chinese Mainland Film Panorama 2026 showcases creative potential of filmmakers (with photos)
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The opening film, animation "Nobody" (2025), reimagines a spin-off story from the classic epic "Journey to the West". A band of nameless little monsters embark on an adventure that mirrors workplace setbacks, dilemmas in life, and the determination to pursue dreams.
Several feature films delve into dilemmas and emotional attachments in modern times. "Laughing to Die" (2015) portrays the hardships of an elderly person living alone in a rural village. In "Like Winds, Like Weeds" (2023), a divorced middle-aged woman returns to her hometown from the city only to find everything has changed. "The Midsummer's Voice" (2024) centres on the anxieties of adolescent Peking opera actors. "Linka Linka" (2025) confronts unresolved knots from the protagonist's childlihood.
Some of the films reflect on the dejections of ordinary people. In "Chongqing Hot Pot" (2016), hotpot restaurant owners accidentally breach a bank vault, plunging them into a whirlwind of absurd events. The crime comedy "My Dear Liar" (2019) revolves around an insurance fraud, unveiling the emotional struggles of city dwellers. "A Long Shot" (2024) depicts a retired shooter who finally steps up against rampant gangs.
The Panorama also features two works about time travel. In "Hi, Mom" (2021), the protagonist travels back to the 1980s to rewrite her mother's tragic fate. In "Escape from the 21st Century" (2024), high school students who gain the superpower of time travel embark on a summer adventure.
Inspired by the legend "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl", the animation "Into the Mortal World" (2024) paints an adventure spanning the divine and mortal realms of two siblings. "The Legend of Hei II" (2025) follows the cat spirit Hei and his companion as they track down the culprit of a murder, seeking answers to the co-existence of spirits and humankind in the process.
Admission to screenings of "Into the Mortal World" and "Hi, Mom" will be free of charge. No tickets are required for the screening of "Into the Mortal World" at the Salisbury Garden Central Lawn in Tsim Sha Tsui at 7pm on September 12. For other free screenings, tickets are required for admission. Each person can obtain up to two tickets per screening on a first-come, first-served basis, while stocks last. Details of ticket distribution are as follows:
| Film | Location and date | Details of ticket distribution |
| "Into the Mortal World" | The Spot of the East Kowloon Cultural Centre (November 1) | To be distributed at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre Information Counter from October 16 |
| "Hi, Mom" | Rayson Huang Theatre of the University of Hong Kong (October 10) | To be distributed at the University of Hong Kong Staff Association located at 5/F, T.T. Tsui Building, from September 15 (every Monday to Friday) |
| Auditorium of North District Town Hall (November 7) | To be distributed at the Office at North District Town Hall from October 24 |
Other films will be shown at the Theatre of Hong Kong City Hall, the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA), and the Lecture Hall of the Hong Kong Space Museum. Tickets priced at $75 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme enquiries, please call 2734 2900 (LCSD) or 2385 7053 (Southern Film Culture Foundation), or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/listing.html?id=96.
Post-screening talks will be held following the screening of "My Dear Liar" on October 10 and "Escape from the 21st Century" on October 17 at the HKFA. The talks will be conducted in Cantonese. Ticket holders for these screenings will enjoy priority admission to the talks.
The Chinese Mainland Film Panorama 2026 is one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.ccpo.gov.hk/en/.
Ends/Thursday, September 10, 2026
Issued at HKT 12:00
Issued at HKT 12:00
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