Supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Berlin (HKETO Berlin), Hong Kong has entered the stage of the Jameson CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival (CineFest) for the second straight time. This year's edition of Hungary's leading international film festival witnessed an even bigger Hong Kong presence than last year.
Film enthusiasts from Central and Eastern European region and beyond enjoyed the Hong Kong Film Days from September 18 to 19 (Miskolc time) as part of the 15th CineFest edition which runs from September 14 to 23. The Hong Kong Film Days featured the award-winning action film Paradox by Wilson Yip who is not least famous for the Ip Man trilogy. Cineasts in Miskolc also watched an all-time classic of Hong Kong's film history, The Grandmaster. Directed by the legendary Hong Kong filmmaker, screenwriter and producer Wong Kar-wai in 2012, this martial arts drama was a great highlight for the audience to see what the Hong Kong cinema is like: vivid, entertaining and exciting. Films like Ip Man and The Grandmaster have substantially contributed to Hong Kong gaining its reputation as the "Hollywood of the East".
On the opening reception of the Hong Kong Film Days on September 18, the Director of the HKETO Berlin, Mr Bill Li, highlighted in his welcoming remarks that co-operation between Hong Kong and Hungary has great prospects of getting even stronger in future: "Looking ahead, business and cultural exchanges between Hungary and Hong Kong are expected to become more frequent under Hungary's 'opening to the East' policy, and China's Belt and Road Initiative." This provides excellent business opportunities for both sides. In particular, Hungarian professionals and companies in the creative sector can tap a huge potential through Hong Kong as "with the integration of Mainland of China and Hong Kong, Hong Kong has access to a huge market of 1.3 billion audience, and the bright prospect of co-production with investors and talents from the Mainland of China", as Mr Li said.
Another step forward in bringing Hong Kong and Hungary closer together was taken in Miskolc. Create Hong Kong, a government agency driving the development of the creative economy in Hong Kong, has joined hands with CineFest to initiate exchange between talented film professionals from both regions. Namely, a delegation of visual effects specialists from Hong Kong came to Hungary to conduct professional exchanges and explore business opportunities at various occasions in Miskolc and Budapest. They hosted joint workshops together with their Hungarian counterparts at CineFest, and screened films with strong visual effects-basis to showcase their state-of-the-art work.
One could hardly imagine a better starting point for exchange and future collaboration than meeting the fellow film practitioners face-to-face at the CineFest. "It provides us with a unique opportunity to share our film-making experience and skills with the Hungarian and European filmmakers at film shows, post-screening talks and workshops hosted by our action stunt experts, cinematographers, visual effects experts and post-production professionals", Mr Li emphasised and further added that he would very much like to see Hungarians to come to Hong Kong as well: "Come and join us in our own renowned film events such as the Hong Kong International Film Festival and the FILMART next spring that showcase the creative diversity and the cutting-edge standards of one of the most dynamic film entertainment industries in the world."
About HKETO Berlin
HKETO Berlin is the official Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Hungary as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.
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