The 8th Hong Kong Thematic Film Festival, entitled "Masters and Apprentices: Succession and Continuity in Hong Kong Cinema", was launched tonight (July 18) at Broadway Cinematheque MOMA in Beijing. The film festival is jointly presented by the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing (the Beijing Office) and Broadway Cinematheque. 

     The theme of this year's film festival is the long-standing master-apprentice relationship in Hong Kong's film industry. Movies from various times produced by master directors, scriptwriters, cinematographers and musicians and their apprentices will be screened in 16 cities in the Mainland to promote Hong Kong's film culture and foster closer exchanges between the film industries in Hong Kong and the Mainland.

     The opening ceremony was officiated by the Acting Director of the Beijing Office, Miss Pamela Lam; the Executive Director of Edko Films Limited, Ms Tessa Lau; the Director of Broadway Cinematheque, Mr Clarence Tsui; noted directors Fruit Chan and Joe Ma; up-and-coming director Sunny Chan; and veteran producer Jacqueline Liu. The opening film, "Still Human", was a winner in the Higher Education Institution Group of Create Hong Kong's 3rd First Feature Film Initiative and has won various film awards. Fruit Chan, who produced the film, exchanged views on filmmaking with the audience after the screening.

     Speaking at the opening ceremony, Miss Lam said that the master-apprentice relationship in the Hong Kong film industry has nurtured many talents. It has been a characteristic of the Hong Kong film industry through which Hong Kong filmmakers' passion and valuable experience can be passed on from one generation to another. 

     She also said that the relevant central authorities had agreed to five relaxation measures in facilitating the entry of Hong Kong films and film practitioners into the Mainland market this April. That was another round of further relaxation measures offered by the Mainland authorities for the Hong Kong film industry since the implementation of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) and its Supplements. Miss Lam called on the industry to grasp the opportunities brought about by the new measures, and to further the development of the film industries in the two places and produce more quality movies for the public. 

     A total of 12 movies will be screened by the film festival this year, namely the opening film "Still Human", "Little Cheung", "The New One-Armed Swordsman", "Just Heroes", "Chinese Odyssey 2002", "Final Victory", "As Tears Go By", "Mad World", "The Lion Roars", "Men on the Dragon", "City on Fire" and "Accident". The movies will be screened from July 18 to August 4 at Broadway Cinematheque MOMA and Broadway Cinema (apm store) in Beijing.

     After the Beijing leg, the film festival will be presented at Jinan, Tianjin, Chongqing, Wuxi, Shenyang, Hangzhou, Dalian, Chengdu, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Kunming, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Changsha and Ningbo, lasting until the end of this year.

        

     Spanish filmgoers are being introduced to Hong Kong movies, thanks in part to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels), which is supporting the 16th Asian Summer Film Festival in Vic, Spain, that began on July 15 and will run until July 21 (Vic time). 
      
     The Asian Summer Film Festival features 32 films this year, of which six are Hong Kong productions or co-productions.
      
     Officiating at the Night of Hong Kong Film on July 17 (Vic time), the Deputy Representative of HKETO, Brussels, Mr Sam Hui, thanked the organisers for their efforts in bringing Hong Kong films to Spanish audiences.   
      
     Mr Hui said Hong Kong has one of the largest and most dynamic film entertainment industries in the world. In 2018, more than 50 locally produced films were released in Hong Kong, some of which are co-productions with Mainland China. The Hong Kong film industry can continue to flourish because of Hong Kong's diverse and international culture, its strong protection of freedom of expression and a solid legal system that protects the intellectual property rights of artists and producers. 
      
     The Night of Hong Kong Film featured the screening of Lee Chiu’s documentary, "I am the White Tiger", about English stuntman Mark Houghton, who is a martial arts legend in the Hong Kong film industry. This was followed by a screening of Pang Ho-cheung's film "Missbehavior". The evening concluded with an outdoor Cantonese dinner followed by the international premiere, at the Festival and on the online Movistar+ platform, of Yan Jia's film "The Knight of the Shadows, Between Yin and Yang".
      
     New this year at the festival is a "Sunday Marathon" on July 21, when a succession of movies will include two Hong Kong films, Kam Ka-wai's "Big Brother" and Chin Kar-lok's "Golden Job". There will also be a special screening of Ringo Lam's cult film "Full Contact" on July 19 (Vic time), as a tribute to the late director.

     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Mr Frank Chan Fan, at a media session at the lobby of the West Wing of the Central Government Offices this afternoon (July 18):
 
Reporter: Why do the MTR and the Government think that there is no need to demolish any parts of the flawed Hung Hom Station and rather the MTR decided to just use strengthening works to amend the flaws? Secondly, can you explain why the Government decides to open sooner than planned the mentioned parts of the section of Shatin to Central Link? Why not include other remaining stations?
 
Secretary for Transport and Housing: I must emphasise here that the acceptance of the reports by the Government is a very serious matter because the reports would have been agreed by our expert team who has tens of years of experience in structural and building works. Having scrutinised reports submitted by the MTRCL, the expert team had come to a conclusion that the facts, observation and judgement within the reports are actually valid, and there are scientific and factual justifications for that, so that's the reason why we accepted the reports in the first place. The second place is why we consider not necessary to demolish it rather than reinforce it, right? As I have just mentioned, the reports were compiled by the MTRCL with their independent professionals, their own professional staff, and also scrutinised by the Government expert team and also our Highways Department colleagues, therefore, the vetting and scrutinisation has been done very rigorously. If there is any need for anything to be done, it won't be left out in anyway. Therefore we are satisfied that by completion of these appropriate measures, we would be in a position to satisfy the necessary code of practice of the Buildings Department, as well as the contract requirements of the Shatin to Central Link project.
 
 (Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)

     Police are investigating a fatal traffic accident in Pat Heung today (July 18) in which a 65-year-old man died.

     At about 2.20pm, a medium goods vehicle (MGV) driven by a 32-year-old man and a bus driven by the 65-year-old man were travelling in sequence along Tsing Long Highway towards Yuen Long. When reaching near Tai Lam Tunnel Bus Interchange, the two vehicles reportedly collided.

     The 65-year-old bus driver was trapped inside the compartment, and was rescued by firemen. He was rushed to Pok Oi Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 3.04pm. The 32-year-old MGV driver, six male bus passengers and six female bus passengers, aged between nine and 78, were injured. They were sent to Pok Oi Hospital and Tuen Mun Hospital for medical treatment in conscious state.

     Investigation will be conducted by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, New Territories North.

     Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 3819.

     The Labour Department (LD) is highly concerned about the work accident that happened at a construction site in Tai Po today (July 18), in which an excavator toppled during operation and pressed against the male operator. The excavator operator was seriously injured and was certified dead later in the hospital. The LD is saddened by the death of the worker and has expressed its deepest sympathy to the victim's family.
 
     A LD's spokesman said, "We commenced immediate on-site investigation as soon as we were notified of the accident and issued suspension notices to the contractors suspending the use of excavators on the site. The contractors cannot resume the work process until LD is satisfied that measures to abate the relevant risk have been taken."
 
     The spokesman added, "We will complete investigation as soon as possible to identify the cause of the accident, ascertain the liability of the duty holders and recommend improvement measures. We will take actions pursuant to the law if there is any violation of the work safety legislation."

     The general duty provisions of the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance require employers to provide safe working environments, safe plant and safe systems of work for their employees. Those who contravene the above provisions are liable to a maximum fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for six months.

     In regard to today's accident, the LD will issue a Work Safety Alert through its website and email, giving a brief account of the accident concerned to duty holders, workers' unions, professional bodies of safety practitioners and others, and reminding the industry of the importance of following safety precautionary measures to prevent recurrence of similar accidents.

     The LD will also remind the employer concerned of the liability for employees' compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, assist family members of the deceased to claim employees' compensation and closely follow up on the case. For those with financial difficulties, the LD will assist them to apply for appropriate emergency funds. Subject to the needs and wishes of family members of the deceased, the LD will also liaise with the Social Welfare Department for financial or other assistance.

     For the sake of securing the safety and health of employees at work, the LD appeals to employers to provide plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health. Employees should co-operate with their employers, adopt all safety measures and use personal protective equipment provided properly to avoid endangering their own work safety and that of other workers.