Cinema Hong Kong Opened with Bruce Lee’s Story

12 August 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cinema Hong Kong Opened with Bruce Lee’s Story

Over 100 people witnessed the opening of Cinema Hong Kong, as part of the Hong Kong Festival 2011, at the Rialto Cinemas with Bruce Lee’s story of rising to fame showing for the first time in New Zealand.

Representing the Hong Kong Special Administration Region (SAR) Government, Linda Law, Deputy Director of Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, said that Hong Kong films are more than entertainment on the big screen.

“Hong Kong movies are the core of Hong Kong’s creative industries, which help proper the city’s further development as an innovation-led knowledge-based economy.

“The film industry also demonstrates that Hong Kong is not only a global financial centre, but also a hub for the creative industries.”

The premier movie, Bruce Lee, My Brother, was based on the narration of Lee’s siblings, detailing the life of their beloved brother before he was made world famous.

“The movie went through the 50’s and 60’s of Hong Kong where Lee was born and lived as a teen, it echoes the theme of bringing a classic Hong Kong to Auckland this year by Hong Kong Festival,” said Raymond Suen, Festival Director

“It was the untold history of Bruce Lee’s youth; it showed us how he turned from an ordinary person to martial arts phenomena.

“His story certainly motivates a lot of youngster to pursue their dreams.”

Stella Chan, Vice President of Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association, said she is proud to be hosting the Hong Kong Festival for the third year.

“Hong Kong Festival has been an event showcasing Hong Kong from the art and cultural facet.

“This year, we further extend the festival to the business and career aspects.”

Cinema Hong Kong includes 16 titles from Hong Kong covering two from the Shaw Brother’s era in the 60’s, and four short movies from the Hong Kong Baptist University.

Mr Suen said the classic titles will show us what the Hong Kong entertainment industry used to be, and how it evolved to becoming what it is like now.

“The two classic titles in Cinema Hong Kong are featured in the 60’s and 70’s, covering musical and action genre, some of the most popular characteristic that makes Hong Kong movies world famous.

“Hong Kong was well known as the movie hub of South East Asia, and that was why movies at that time were made in Mandarin Chinese instead of the local Cantonese dialect.

“As the movie industry evolves, they did not just rely on their infamous martial arts movies, but also picked up a variety of genre catering to different audience, expanding further around the world.”

Cinema Hong Kong is on between 12 and 17 Aug at Rialto Cinemas. Other Hong Kong Festival events include Connect Hong Kong (Part 1): Seminar on 16 Aug, Celebrate Hong Kong Charity Banquet on 18 Aug, and Connect Hong Kong (Part 2): Breakfast with Minister on 24 Aug at the Langham Hotel.

Other honourable guests include Mr LI Yongchuan and Miss JIA Yaosu, Vice Consul-General, Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China.

The festival is hosted by the Hong Kong New Zealand Business Association, and supported by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Invest Hong Kong, Hantec New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, The Langham Auckland, Auckland Council, Skykiwi, Rialto Cinema, and Lik Tin Century Ltd, Rialto Shopping Centre, Film Auckland, University of Auckland Business School, New Zealand Asia Institute, Multi-Media Systems, Agatha, Lee Kum Kee, Kea Auckland and our media partners.

For information please visit www.hkfestival.org.nz

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