"Spotlight on Hong Kong Cinema: Women on the Rise" is one of the special presentations at CAAMFest 37, which runs from May 9 to 19 (San Francisco time) in the San Francisco and Oakland area. "Still Human" and "The Last Stitch" are included in the Spotlight, and the festival is also featuring three female Hong Kong filmmakers, namely "Still Human" director Oliver Chan, "Still Human" actress Crisel Consunji and "The Last Stitch" producer Ruby Yang.
CAAMFest, the world's largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian film, food and music programmes, annually presents over 100 works in San Francisco and Oakland. This year, the achievements of visionary women both in front of and behind the camera are celebrated. CAAMFest says women storytellers and artists are breaking new ground and redefining the media landscape. It thanked the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco (HKETO SF) for its support in focusing a global lens on the current movement and celebrating Hong Kong women directors, producers and actors.
Oliver Chan, Crisel Consunji and Ruby Yang joined "Filmmakers Panel: Women and Hong Kong Cinema" on May 15 (San Francisco time) at the AMC Kabuki theatre in San Francisco before the screening of "Still Human". Prior to that, a reception was hosted by HKETO SF to honour them and to celebrate their achievements.
"It is indeed an honour to have the opportunity to sponsor the 'Spotlight on Hong Kong Cinema' at this year's CAAMFest and bring three talented filmmakers here to share their insights and experience with the local audience and festival attendees, " the, Director of HKETO SF, Mr Ivanhoe Chang, said.
"We also cannot ask for better timing to welcome Chan and Consunji and to celebrate their success in the movie 'Still Human'. Chan recently received the Best New Director Award and Consunji the Best New Performer Award at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards. The movie also just picked up top prizes at the 21st Far East Film Festival in Italy. It was a favourite of both critics and the audience as the film won the top Audience Award and the Black Dragon Critics Award," he continued.
Mr Chang also pointed out that "Still Human" was a winning project under the First Feature Film Initiative, which was launched by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government in 2013 to nurture talent by providing funding for young directors to make their first commercial feature films.
"We are happy that 'Still Human' and other winning projects have gained great success and received recognition in film festivals around the globe. We are committed to facilitating the long-term development of the Hong Kong film industry and will continue to promote Hong Kong movies worldwide," Mr Chang said.
"The Last Stitch", produced by Oscar-winning director Ruby Yang, had its world premiere at the Festival. HKETO SF supported Yang's documentary "My Voice, My Life" at CAAMFest in 2015, and the screening of "In Search of Perfect Consonance" in 2017. Mr Chang said he was most pleased to welcome Yang back to San Francisco for another Hong Kong-related story.
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