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Addressing at the press conference and industry talk today (November 7, Toronto time), internationally acclaimed Hong Kong actor and new director, Simon Yam, together with the Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Toronto (HKETO), Miss Gloria Lo, kicked off the Toronto premiere of "Tales from the Dark Part 1", the centrepiece presented by the 2013 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival.
"Tales from the Dark Part 1", directorial debut by Yam, the Best Actor in the Hong Kong Film Award for "Echoes of the Rainbow" (2010), and directed by Lee Chi-ngai and Fruit Chan, features three distinct tales of Hong Kong horror adapted from a novel series by best-selling author Lilian Lee. HKETO is the special sponsor of the screening.
"Mr Yam is the first-time director for the film and the response has been impressive and overwhelming. His success clearly shows the versatility of the Hong Kong film talents. His endeavour reflects the aspirations of many Hong Kong people to excel, to take on new challenges and to transcend in order to scale new heights," said Miss Lo.
"Hong Kong has a vibrant film industry, owes to no small part to our free and open society with freedom of speech and expression. In Hong Kong, you could enjoy various types of films from different parts of the world,蒅 added Miss Lo.
Last year, a total of 300 films, including 52 Hong Kong films, were shown. Among them, 35 films were Mainland-Hong Kong co-productions.
Over the past decade, the film industry in Hong Kong has done very well with over 300 international awards received. Miss Lo stressed that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government will continue to support and facilitate the development of film industry through various institutions.
"The Hong Kong Film Development Fund has funded 29 films since its establishment in 2007, covering different genres including comedy, animation, action, musical, romance, suspense films etc," Miss Lo said.
"We also have a Film Services Office to facilitate film production. Hong Kong is a great place for film shooting with its unique cityscape and features. 'Tales from the Dark 1' is one of the many films that received production facilitation by this office. 'Transformers: Age of Extinction' has also just finished its location filming in Hong Kong last month."
Miss Lo encouraged more co-operation and film co-production between Hong Kong and Canada. "With the bilateral free trade agreement CEPA between Hong Kong and the Mainland, Hong Kong films could enter into the huge Mainland market on a quota free basis. Canadian film companies may pursue film co-production with Hong Kong under a memorandum of understanding signed between Hong Kong and the Canadian government and enjoy the same benefits under CEPA subject to relevant conditions and requirements."
Miss Lo also invited the Canadian filmmakers and producers to participate in next year's Hong Kong International Film and TV Market to be held on March 24-27, the largest film market in Asia organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council each year. "The event provides the most effective platform for business networking, sharing of latest development in the industry, and for marketing of film related products and services to the gigantic Chinese Mainland market," Miss Lo said. Last year, there were 710 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions in the event. Canada also had its own group pavilion for the first time.
The screening of "Tales from the Dark Part 1" will be held tomorrow (November 8, Toronto time) at 8pm at the Royal Theatre, 608 College Street, Toronto. Another Hong Kong movie "Unbeatable", directed by Dante Lam and starring Nick Cheung and Eddie Peng, will be presented at the Richmond Hill opening night on November 15.
For details on the Reel Asian programming, please visit www.reelasian.com.
Ends/Friday, November 8, 2013
Issued at HKT 09:19
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