High honour: Echoes of the Rainbow actor Aarif Lee, director Alex Law and producer Mabel Cheung attend the Berlinale award ceremony.

Hong Kong film Echoes of the Rainbow, directed by Alex Law and produced by Mabel Cheung, has won the Crystal Bear for the Best Feature Film in the 60th Berlinale 2010's Generation section - the first time a local film has won the award.

Congratulating the production crew, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Rita Lau said the film's success demonstrates the strength of Hong Kong movie makers.

"The Government will continue to support the film sector, the flagship of our creative industries, through the CreateHK office and the Film Development Council," she said.

Fourteen films competed for the award this year. The Generation section is designed for children and youth to increase cultural understanding through film among the younger generation. Jury members are directly recruited from young audiences.

Echoes of the Rainbow is a production supported by the $300 million Film Development Fund which provides financial support for small-to-medium budget movie production and finances projects beneficial to the film industry's long-term development.

Other Hong Kong movies Amphetamine, True Legend and Little Big Soldier were also screened at the Berlinale this year. The Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Berlin has been promoting the local creative industry, including Hong Kong films' participation in the Berlinale as part of its initiatives to boost bilateral economic ties and promote the city's image in central and eastern Europe.

A cocktail reception and press conference was held February 17 with 250 film producers, directors and agents from the German film industry as well as government officials, diplomats and representatives from the business and professional sectors met with film crews from Hong Kong.

The office also sponsored a television documentary Mythos Hong Kong with special focus on the creative industry. The documentary was broadcast on German television in December and January, and will be repeated this summer.