To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO) supported "Making Waves – Navigators of Hong Kong Cinema", showcasing a selection of Hong Kong films in Stockholm, Norrköping and Umeå, Sweden, from September 30 to October 9 (Stockholm time). The programme was presented by Create Hong Kong in partnership with the Asian Film Festival.
To start the official opening of the Festival on September 30, the London ETO hosted a reception in Stockholm before the screening of "Keep Rolling", a biographical documentary directed by Man Lim-chung which portraits the prolific career of Hong Kong director Ann Hui. After the reception, a face-to-face Q&A session between Man Lim-chung and the audience was held.
The Director-General of the London ETO, Mr Gilford Law, addressed the audience at the official opening. Mr Law said, "Talents are the key to artistic and cultural excellence. The HKSAR Government has been putting strong emphasis on nurturing talents in the film industry. Together with the passion of the creative practitioners in Hong Kong films and support of film lovers around the world, we are confident that the industry will continue to flourish."
Mr Law remarked, "Hong Kong is an international hub for cultural and creative industries with promising development opportunities. With its unique status and strengths under 'one country, two systems', Hong Kong is a melting pot of Chinese and Western cultures with extensive international connections. We are determined to become an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, as supported by the National 14th Five-Year Plan."
Mr Law also updated the audience on the lifting of compulsory quarantine requirement for inbound persons from overseas places that started on September 26. "The relaxed arrangement demonstrates Hong Kong's readiness to connect with the world, without compromising defences against the pandemic and the health of our residents. The HKSAR Government has been implementing measures to consolidate the position of Hong Kong as an international tourism hub. With no more quarantine requirement, it is now the best time to visit Hong Kong, discover everything about our captivating city and see what adventures await in town," he added.
The programme presented six Hong Kong films, namely "Keep Rolling", "The First Girl I Loved", "Limbo", "Sunshine of My Life", "Table for Six" and "Tales from the Occult", to audiences in Sweden. A Q&A session was held before the screening of "Tales from the Occult" on October 1, where film directors Fruit Chan and Andrew Fung conducted a live discussion from Hong Kong with audiences in Stockholm using hologram technology.
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