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After screenings in Sofia, Amsterdam, Brussels and Udine, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) has taken its retrospective of classic Hong Kong martial arts films to Florence in Italy.
The Hong Kong martial arts film retrospective is being held from May 21 to 23 as part of the Dragon Film Festival, in co-operation with EurAsia, the Toscana Film Commission and the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society. It is part of the celebration programme for this year's 50th anniversary of the establishment of HKETO, Brussels.
The programme of martial arts film classics comprises Bruce Lee's "The Way of the Dragon", Ching Siu-tung's "Duel to the Death", Tsui Hark's "Once Upon a Time in China II", Corey Yuen's "Righting Wrongs", Jackie Chan's "The Young Master" and Sammo Hung's "Spooky Encounters".
Speaking at the opening reception yesterday (May 21, Florence time) before a screening of Bruce Lee's iconic "The Way of the Dragon", the Deputy Representative of HKETO, Brussels, Miss Alice Choi, said that, thanks to an environment that encourages creativity and diversity as upheld by the Basic Law, Hong Kong movies now embrace many different genres, from psychological dramas and thrillers to comedies and art-house films.
Miss Choi said, "Among all the movies we make, the most famous and some of the best loved around the world are still our kung fu movies. This is why we are bringing some of the classics of the genre to Italy for a new generation of film-goers to discover."
She said that HKETO, Brussels was pleased to take the Hong Kong martial arts films retrospective to Florence following the excellent feedback on a similar programme at the Udine Far East Film Festival last month.
Ms Choi seized the opportunity to recommend the major exhibition on the life and work of Bruce Lee that is being held at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum until 2018.
The special Hong Kong martial arts film programme will next go to Milan in Italy and Istanbul and Izmir in Turkey.
Ends/Friday, May 22, 2015
Issued at HKT 17:35
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