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The following is a speech by Acting Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, at Hong Kong International Mobile Film Awards ceremony today (March 23):
Mr (Ken) Fong (Chairman of Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association), Mrs (Agnes) Mak (Executive Director of Hong Kong Productivity Council), festival partners, contestants, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It gives me great pleasure to be here today to attend the inaugural Hong Kong International Mobile Film Awards. On behalf of the HKSAR Government, let me first welcome our festival partners and the contestants from around the world for coming all the way to Hong Kong and joining us to witness the "crowning" of the best mobile films for the Awards.
We can still recall not so many days ago, mobile communication devices, primarily cell phones, were mainly used as tools to keep us in contact with our families, friends and business partners. Emerging technologies have since completely transformed the way we live and work. With the rapid penetration of mobile communication services and fast-growing telecommunications infrastructure, we are now able to enjoy a diversified range of mobile multimedia services at our fingertips. For Hong Kong people who love watching movies like me, we can now readily enjoy a wide variety of mobile films on the screens of our mobile devices. Pocket-sized cinemas are no longer a dream but a reality for this generation.
The Hong Kong International Mobile Film Awards are the first-ever international awards held in Hong Kong to recognise and honour achievements of the brightest talent in the mobile film production industry around the world. As the inaugural event, we proudly welcome a total of 100 entries from 10 mobile film festival partners in Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania and South America, and of course Hong Kong. The festival partners each nominates the best 10 mobile films from its own place for participation in the event. We have now shortlisted 10 films from all the nominations received. No doubt these finalists are all of the finest and highest quality and creativity to compete for the Awards.
Hong Kong is fully committed to driving the development of our creative industries. With our film industry as the flagship of our creative industries and mobile service penetration rate among the highest in the world, Hong Kong provides the best platform to stage the first-ever Hong Kong International Mobile Film Awards. Here in Hong Kong, our vision is to build Hong Kong as Asia's creative capital by holding more iconic creative events in the territory. The international awards we have today for mobile films will not only enable mobile filmmakers in the world to showcase their productions, but also help establish a global network among mobile filmmakers in different places for exchange and collaboration. We look forward to joining hands with our festival partners in further promoting the development of mobile films globally.
Last but not least, I would like to thank the Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry Association and the Hong Kong Productivity Council for their vision and efforts in staging today's event. I would also like to thank the panel of judges for their time and efforts in selecting the award winners. Of course, my warmest congratulations to all the nominees and the winners for their creativity and great work. The impressive mobile films you have produced will no doubt make the first Hong Kong International Mobile Film Awards a huge success.
Thank you.
Ends/Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Issued at HKT 14:36
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