The 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) opened on Wednesday, with officials highlighting the city’s role as a hub for cultural exchange between East and West as the event celebrates its golden jubilee.
The opening ceremony of the milestone edition was held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, with the festival organized by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society and supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency and the Film Development Fund under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau.
Speaking at the ceremony, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Vivian Sum Fong-kwang congratulated the festival on reaching its 50th anniversary and said it had long served as a platform for showcasing both local and mainland productions to the world, while also bringing outstanding international films to Hong Kong.
She said the festival had “fully leveraged Hong Kong’s strengths as a center for cultural and artistic exchange between China and the rest of the world,” adding that the government would continue to support the local film industry and promote cross-sector collaboration, including film tourism, to highlight the unique appeal of Hong Kong cinema.
Sum also pointed to recent film-themed initiatives aimed at linking culture and tourism, including the “Kowloon Walled City: A Cinematic Journey” exhibition launched in May last year and the “Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey” exhibition introduced in January.
The projects allow visitors to experience Hong Kong’s film culture and the creative work of local filmmakers, while encouraging synergy between the film and tourism sectors, she said.
Running from April 1 to April 12, this year’s festival will screen more than 200 films from over 70 countries and regions. In addition to screenings, the program includes masterclasses and seminars, offering audiences opportunities to engage with filmmakers from around the world.
A commemorative exhibition titled 50 and Beyond - The Hong Kong International Film Festival Golden Jubilee Exhibition is also being held at Hong Kong City Hall, tracing the festival’s development over the past five decades and its contribution to cultural exchange. The exhibition is open to the public free of charge.
marco.lam@singtaonewscorp.com
