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The award-winning Hong Kong film "Perhaps Love" launched the 49th San Francisco International Film Festival on April 20 (San Francisco time).
For the first time in the San Francisco International Film Festival's 49-year history, a Hong Kong film was selected as the opening night film. "Perhaps Love," a heartfelt love story told through a kaleidoscope of flashbacks and the plot of film-within-a-film, is directed by the highly acclaimed film director Peter Chan.
Another Hong Kong film "All About Love" is also featured in the festival. Starring Andy Lau, the melodrama is the latest work of film director Daniel Yu and will be screened on April 23 and 26.
Delighted to see Hong Kong films receiving high commendations in the San Francisco International Film Festival, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco Ms Doris Cheung said this was not just a recognition of the outstanding work of Director Chan and Director Yu, but was also an honor for the Hong Kong film industry as a whole.
"Hong Kong has a long history of film-making. With our historical background which makes Hong Kong the meeting point for Eastern and Western culture, and our emphasis on free flow of information and talents, Hong Kong has been the place for creativity and movie production," she said.
Ms Cheung also highlighted the various benefits the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) could bring for Hong Kong film-making companies and how foreign companies could leverage on Hong Kong to enjoy such benefits. "Under our partnership arrangement with Mainland China, Chinese language films produced by Hong Kong companies can enjoy a quota-free access to the China market," Ms Cheung said. She added that Hong Kong's film industry was a flagship of Hong Kong's creative industry and the Hong Kong Government was dedicated to building a favorable environment for the industry to flourish.
Celebrating the recognition of Hong Kong films in the San Francisco International Film Festival, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco hosted receptions before the screening of both Hong Kong films, with the participation of directors Peter Chan and Daniel Yu as well as actor Andy Lau.
The 49th San Francisco International Film Festival runs from April 20 to May 4. Bringing together some 95,000 film-makers, industry representatives, journalists and film lovers, the festival features some 200 films representing 50 countries.
Ends/Monday, April 24, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:48
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