The following is issued on behalf of the Hong Kong Film Development Council:
 
     The Chairman of the Hong Kong Film Development Council (FDC), Dr Wilfred Wong, today (April 15) congratulated Film Development Fund (FDF)-funded films, "Time Still Turns the Pages", "Fly Me to the Moon", "A Guilty Conscience" and "Band Four" for winning Best Film Award, Best New Performer Award, Best Original Film Score Award and Best New Director Award at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards.
 
     Dr Wong said, "I am very pleased that a total of six FDF-funded films received 34 nominations in 16 categories and out of which, four films have won a total of four awards at the 42nd Hong Kong Film Awards this year. This highlights the efforts of the FDF in supporting film productions, in terms of both quantity and quality, and in nurturing talent. We will continue to promote the development of Hong Kong cinema."
 
     "Time Still Turns the Pages" is a funded film under the First Feature Film Initiative, produced by Derek Yee, and directed and written by Nick Cheuk. The film stars Lo Chun-yip, Ronald Cheng, Hanna Chan and Rosa Maria Velasco. The film received a total of 12 nominations, namely Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best New Performer, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction, Best Original Film Score and Best New Director. Nick Cheuk won the Best New Director Award.
 
     "Fly Me to the Moon" is a funded film under the First Feature Film Initiative, produced by Stanley Kwan, and directed and written by Sasha Chuk. The film stars Chuk, Angela Yuen, Natalie Hsu, Yoyo Tse and Wu Kang-ren. The film received a total of four nominations, namely Best Supporting Actor, Best New Performer, Best Costume & Makeup Design and Best New Director. Yoyo Tse won the Best New Performer Award.
 
     "A Guilty Conscience" is a funded film under the Film Production Financing Scheme (Relaxation Plan), produced by Bill Kong and Ivy Ho, and directed and written by Jack Ng. The film stars Dayo Wong, Tse Kwan-ho, Louise Wong, Fish Liew and Michael Wong. The film received a total of 10 nominations, namely Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress (two nominations), Best Film Editing and Best New Director. The film won the Best Film Award.
 
     "Band Four" is a funded film under the Film Production Grant Scheme (now defunct), produced by Teddy Robin and Jacqueline Liu, and directed and written by Lai Yan-chi. The film stars Kay Tse, Teddy Robin, Anna hisbbuR and Rondi Chan. The film received four nominations, namely Best Actress, Best New Performer, Best Original Film Score and Best Original Film Song. Teddy Robin and Day Tai won the Best Original Film Score Award.
 
     The First Feature Film Initiative identifies new talent through a competition on screenplay and production proposals. The competition consists of the Higher Education Institution Group and the Professional Group, with each group being awarded a maximum of three prizes. The director of each participating team shall not have previously shot any commercial film of 80 minutes or above. The FDF will provide funding for the winning teams to implement their film proposals and make their first commercial feature films. The winning teams are required to complete the whole film production and sales process, which involves planning, shooting and distribution, in order to acquire knowledge from creation to practical application in making a feature film.
 
     The Film Production Financing Scheme aims to provide finance for small- to medium-budget film productions with the objectives of encouraging more commercial investment in film productions, creating a larger mass of film activities and employment opportunities. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has brought exceptional challenges to the Hong Kong film industry, the Government launched a Relaxation Plan under the Financing Scheme in July 2020 to increase the number of local film productions in the short term and render relief to film practitioners. Having regard to the overwhelming response from the industry, the application period originally scheduled for six months has been extended several times to January 14, 2025.

Ends/Monday, April 15, 2024
Issued at HKT 12:40

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