Chief Executive Carrie Lam today officiated at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Thematic Film Festival in Shanghai.

At the event, Mrs Lam said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to the Hong Kong film industry's development and believes its prospects are very promising. 

“In 2019, we injected $1 billion into the Film Development Fund for nurturing talent, enhancing local production, market expansion and building the audience.”

She added: "The relevant Central Authorities and the China Film Administration have endorsed five measures in April this year to further facilitate the entry of Hong Kong films and film practitioners to the Mainland market. 

"This brings a positive and proactive impact to Hong Kong films, co-productions and Hong Kong artistes in entering the Mainland market. We look forward to boosting the co-development of the Hong Kong and Mainland film industries by closer collaboration between the two places under the new measures."

Mrs Lam noted that since implementing the Mainland & Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement and its supplements, the output and production scale of films co-produced and co-funded by the Mainland and Hong Kong have grown tremendously.

She also pointed out that 30 films a year and three out of the top 10 box office hits in the Mainland in 2018 were co-productions.

Featuring the unique master-apprentice tradition and distinct Hong Kong-style films, the ceremony is one of the major events of Festival Hong Kong 2019 - A Cultural Extravaganza@Shanghai.

Jointly presented by Create Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Film Development Council and Broadway Cinematheque, it will be held until November 10 at Palace Cinemas in Shanghai.

Classic and recent Hong Kong films will be screened and post-screening talks will be held.

Click here for more information.