"ImagineLand", the opening programme of the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2024 organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), will be held at the central lawn of Victoria Park on April 6 and 7 (Saturday and Sunday). Members of the public are invited to join for free.
 
     The opening programme will kick off with a performance at 1.30pm on April 6, curated by celebrated fashion designer Dorian Ho and blending elements of fashion, film, martial arts, comics, music and dance. Singer Gin Lee will perform film tunes rearranged by renowned music producer Chiu Tsang-hei in a fashion show created by artificial intelligence-generated images. Three martial arts athletes, namely Lau Chi-lung, Lydia Sham and Samuei Hui, will take the stage in martial hero personas from Jin Yong's novels, while demonstrating their skills with other young talents in front of an LED comics backdrop.
 
     The two-day ImagineLand features both daytime and evening programmes. "Gen S Concert", "Memory Lane" and "Funarts Corner" will be available during the day, whereas the film programme "Movie Under the Stars" will be held at night.
 
     "Gen S Concert", running from noon to 7.30pm, is curated by veteran music-makers Dr Wong Chi-chung, Chiu Tsang-hei and Vicky Fung. Two stages, namely the Forest Stage and the Grove Stage, will be set up at Victoria Park's central lawn, where 50 singer-songwriter acts from different regions will take turns showcasing their unique styles. Highlights include a performance by Miu Sakamoto, the daughter of Japanese maestro Ryuichi Sakamoto, of her father's work "The Railway Man"; and a tribute to the maestro by local singer-songwriter AGA Kong with her own work "MIZU". Lowell Lo, a trail-blazing local singer-songwriter, will perform "Love of a Lifetime" for the "Movie Under the Stars" programme. Of particular note will be a crossover piece by local singer-songwriter Mansonvibes and Justin Kawika Young from Hawaii, as well as a joint performance by veteran singer-songwriter Samantha Lam and her young counterpart Michael Lai. Other performers include RHYME SO from Japan/Australia, Meaningful Stone from Korea and Taiga from Mainland China. The concert lineup is detailed in the Appendix.
 
     "Memory Lane" promises to be another event highlight. Making use of film sets, role playing and redesigned costumes, this programme offers visitors an immersive experience in classic scenes of local movies such as "Kung Fu Hustle" and "A Guilty Conscience", along with ample opportunities for photo-taking.
 
     "Funarts Corner" can be found on the other end of the lawn. Thematic booths bringing arts tech, music and handicrafts together will be set up. Through workshops or sample sessions of a cappella, beatboxing, ukulele, sound healing, exotic musical instruments, a virtual reality experience on music and streetscape, silkscreen printing, flower pounding, instant photos, and the making of postcards with song lyrics, carnival goers can explore and experience Hong Kong's pop culture in many different ways.
 
     "Movie Under the Stars" will be staged at 8pm on both evenings to screen celebrated classics selected by the Hong Kong Film Archive. Visitors can sit on the grass for a different movie-watching experience. "Once Upon a Time in China II" (1992, starring Jet Li) and "A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella" (1995, starring Stephen Chow) will be shown on April 6 and 7 respectively. Members of the public are encouraged to bring their own sitting mats, food and beverages.
 
     The LCSD presented the first Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival last year to great acclaim. This year's second edition features "Arts & Action" as its theme, taking audiences on a journey through time to explore the charm of Hong Kong's pop culture. It encompasses both "Arts" (creative works) and "Action" (martial arts), in an attempt to show the dynamic inheritance, diffusion, integration and breakthroughs within Hong Kong's pop culture.
 
     The 2024 festival lineup offers a diverse range of formats including thematic exhibitions, film screenings, stage performances and outreach activities. Its rich content spans across literature, various art forms and martial arts, clearly showcasing how Hong Kong's vibrant and diverse pop culture stands out from the rest. The opening programme "ImagineLand" is sponsored by Create Hong Kong. For more information or enquiries, please visit www.pcf.gov.hk/en or call 2601 8703.
 

Ends/Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Issued at HKT 19:19

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