A special three-day showcase, "Heart of the Richmond: Stephen Chow Film Festival", where the cinematic genius of Stephen Chow was celebrated with seven of his most iconic films, was held at the Balboa Theater in the Richmond district in San Francisco, California from July 12 to 14 (San Francisco time). Nearly 1 500 attendees enjoyed Chow’s classics over the summer weekend. The festival was the first collaboration between the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco (HKETO San Francisco); the Office of Supervisor Connie Chan; Balboa Theater; and Another Planet Entertainment.
Paying tribute to one of Hong Kong's most well-known filmmakers, the festival allowed audiences to revisit Chow’s unique blend of humor and creativity through a curation of timeless hits. The line-up included Chow’s international breakthrough "Shaolin Soccer"; Golden Globe-nominated "Kung Fu Hustle"; Chinese New Year family comedy "All's Well Ends Well"; crowd-pleasing culinary drama "The God of Cookery"; Chinese literature parody "Flirting Scholar"; as well as East-meets-West cult classics "A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora's Box" and "A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella".
At the opening reception on July 12, the Director of the HKETO San Francisco, Ms Jacko Tsang, delivered welcome remarks. She said, "One of our office’s missions is to foster cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and the western United States. This is why we are excited to bring the films of Stephen Chow to San Francisco. His films have become a cultural phenomenon in Hong Kong and beyond, and occupy a unique place in Hong Kong cinema. This festival offers audiences the chance to experience the timeless classics of Chow on the big screen. We hope audiences in the San Francisco Bay area will enjoy his films with a good laugh."
San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan also welcomed the community with introductory remarks at the reception. "I am excited that we could showcase Hong Kong filmmaker and actor Stephen Chow's globally celebrated, locally loved cinematic talent at the Richmond district's storied Balboa Theater this summer, said Supervisor Chan.
"I am excited to share these films, in their original Cantonese, with San Francisco. Bringing together film lovers and Chinese speakers to enjoy the show, help boost our small businesses, and bring community enrichment to our neighborhood."
The opening reception featured a traditional kung fu performance and Chinese calligraphy. The subsequent screening of "Shaolin Soccer" was well attended by movie lovers who filled the two-house theater. Special guests included the President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Mr Aaron Peskin, and Assistant Director of "Shaolin Soccer" Rainy Zhao.
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