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Rarely seen photos of renowned film stars Lucilla You Min, Pak Suet-sin, Julie Yeh Feng, Fong Yim-fun, Yu So-chow, Lee Hong-kum, Fung Wong-nui and awards and archival items donated by Chow Yun-fat, Johnnie To Kei-fung, Josephine Siao Fong-fong, Yim Ho, Ti Lung, Connie Chan Po-chu are now on display in the exhibition "Glamour Everlasting" as part of a celebration for the Hong Kong Film Archive's (HKFA) 10th Anniversary. The celebration also involves the screening of 25 archival films in "The Best from The Archive Collection", including "The Legend of Purple Hairpin", "Sorrows of The Forbidden City", "Should They Marry?", and "Laugh, Clown, Laugh".
Managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the HKFA has reaped a bumper harvest in its efforts to collect Hong Kong films and related material since the archive was established in 2001. In addition to its mission of preserving film heritage through acquisition and restoration of film prints, the HKFA has also forged ahead in research, publications, screenings, exhibitions and various other activities, introducing the riches of Hong Kong's cinematic heritage to film lovers and the general public.
Today's (January 6) special anniversary reception ceremony was attended by the Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Mrs Betty Fung, film directors Ms Sylvia Chang Ai-chia and Mr Johnnie To Kei-fung.
Mrs Betty Fung thanked the various donors, and especially the film industry, for their generous support. She pointed out that the HKFA would continue its best efforts to preserve Hong Kong's cinematic heritage and to share its treasures with the public after restoration and arrangement.
At the end of 2010, the HKFA had received over one million donated items. The HKFA now plans to embark on the restoration of the films "Colourful Youth" (1966), starring Connie Chan Po-chu, Josephine Siao Fong-fong and Woo Fung, and "The Arch" (1970), directed by Tong Shu-shuen. These restored archival treasures will then be introduced to local and overseas educational and cultural organisations.
A stream of retrospective activities has been organised to celebrate the HKFA's 10th Anniversary. The exhibition "Glamour Everlasting", showcasing different archival items such as film awards, costumes and accessories, will continue until March 6. A video covering interviews with donors and the works of the HKFA over the past 10 years is also being shown. In addition, a "star cards gift box" containing some of the finest photos of the featured film stars will be on sale at $88 at the HKFA.
Twenty-five film classics that are both documents of their time as well as timeless works of art will be shown in "The Best from The Archive Collection". The films include "Sorrows of The Forbidden City", "The Eternal Love", "Garden of Repose", "Awful Truth", "It Was a Cold Winter Night", "The Rouge Tigress", "The Legend of the Purple Hairpin", "How to Get a Wife", "Story of a Discharged Prisoner" and "A Touch of Zen", which will have English subtitles. Other films are in Mandarin or Chinese but are not subtitled. The screenings are being held at the HKFA Cinema from January 2 to February 27.
To complement the screenings, three lectures on the topics, "The 1950s Golden Period of Cantonese Cinema", "Early Hong Kong Comedies" and "Three Great Cantonese Cinema Directors: Lee Tit, Tso Kea and Chun Kim", will be held on January 22, February 13 and 19, at the HKFA Cinema. Some of the screenings will also have post-screening talks. The lectures and post-screening talks will be conducted in Cantonese.
Other thematic exhibitions and screenings to be held later this year include a retrospective of the Union Film Company, Movies on Railways, and the films of director and martial arts choreographer Lau Ka-leung. A HKFA 10th Anniversary souvenir booklet is also being published.
Situated at 50 Lei King Road, Sai Wan Ho, the HKFA has a cinema, an exhibition hall and a resource centre. To ensure the optimum preservation of its precious film collection, the stores at the Archive are equipped with state-of-the-art temperature and humidity controls. In addition, independent viewing rooms allow researchers to revisit the Archive's collections.
Detailed information on new programmes can be obtained in the brochure "ProFolio 56" distributed at all performing venues of the LCSD. For enquiries, please call 2739 2139/2734 2900 or browse the websites: www.filmarchive.gov.hk or www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp.
Ends/Thursday, January 6, 2011
Issued at HKT 21:18
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