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Hong Kong director Johnnie To's "Office" (3D) is celebrating its German premiere at this year's Munich International Film Festival, with screenings on June 24 and July 2. This marks the second time that the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Berlin (HKETO Berlin) has acted as an official supporter of the Festival.
First held in 1983, the Munich International Film Festival is one of Europe's largest summer film festivals, showing over 200 feature films, documentaries and TV movies every year with more than 2,000 German and international professionals from film, TV and media participating. Last year, the Festival attracted a record number of over 80,000 visitors.
The Festival runs from June 23 to July 2 this year, with 207 premieres from 62 regions. Among them is "Office" (3D), winner of the Best Art Direction and Best Original Film Score at this year's Hong Kong Film Awards. Johnnie To's first ever 3D film, "Office", starring Hong Kong legend Chow Yun-fat, will be screened again on July 2 at Rio cinema, after celebrating its German premiere on June 24 at Gloria Palace.
Director of HKETO Berlin, Ms Betty Ho, was invited by the festival organisers to speak before the first screening. "Hong Kong has more than a century¡¯s history in film-making and has one of the largest and most dynamic film entertainment industries in the world. We are delighted that Munich International Film Festival is featuring the work of one of the most respected directors in Hong Kong,"said Ms Ho in front of more than 100 film lovers, while also noting Johnnie To¡¯s contribution to Hong Kong's reputation as the "Hollywood of the East".
To continue identifying and nurturing prospective talent for Hong Kong's film industry, the government-owned agency Create Hong Kong recently announced the launch of the third First Feature Film Initiative, a competition focusing on screenplays and production proposals. Hong Kong is also driving campaigns to attract local and overseas film companies to make their films in the region. The city can provide a full range of services in location filming, film facilitation and post-production to international standards.
Munich International Film Festival is not the only famous European festival to have established a successful partnership with HKETO Berlin. The Zurich Film Festival in Switzerland has again agreed to feature from four to six Hong Kong productions in its recently established "Hong Kong Window" section later this year.
About HKETO, Berlin
HKETO Berlin is the official Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Switzerland.
Ends/Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:31
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