In the past decade, Hong Kong has seen a growing number of first-time and emerging filmmakers. To help young film talents build a long-term sustainable career and meet the needs of an increasingly diversified audience culture and film industry, the HKAC sees a pertinent need to assist filmmakers to expand their professional and personal visions, enrich their crafts, network and get recognised on local and international levels. In 2019, coinciding with the 50th Anniversary of the Cannes Directors' Fortnight, one of the world's most prestigious and influential breeding grounds for accomplished filmmakers, the HKAC presents New Waves, New Shores: Cannes Directors' Fortnight 50 Meets Hong Kong Cinema (New Waves, New Shores) to introduce how film festivals shape local and international film cultures, markets and industries, and how festivals inspire budding filmmakers to think out of the box and assist their careers. Hong Kong-based film critic, journalist and curator, Clarence Tsui, is the HKAC's guest curator of the film screening series and will conduct discussion panels and workshops under this programme.
Presented by the Hong Kong Arts Centre(HKAC), brand new moving image programme New Waves, New Shores: Cannes Directors' Fortnight 50 Meets Hong Kong Cinema is financially supported by the Film Development Fund, Create Hong Kong, with Festival Partners including Cannes Directors' Fortnight and the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau. New Waves, New Shores takes place at the Louis Koo Cinema of the HKAC from 6 until 23 June 2019. Its announcement press conference with a screening of Yuli, the latest feature by Cannes award-winning Spanish director Icíar Bollaín, were met with great celebratory spirits from the audience at the Louis Koo Cinema tonight. Guests that graced our special occasion included Executive Director, Connie LAM, and Programme Director, Teresa KWONG, of the Hong Kong Arts Centre; Hong Kong directors Frank HUI Hok-man, LAI Miu-suet, LAU Shing-hon, Andy LO Yiu-fai, Michael MAK Dong-kit, Jessey TSANG Tsui-shan, Amos WHY, Vicky WONG Wai-kit; Hong Kong actors Zeno KOO Ting-hin, Bryant MAK Chi-lok and Hong Kong animator and comics artist Kongkee (KONG Khong-chang).
This year, New Waves, New Shores showcases close to 20 films from 10 countries and regions to be accompanied by after-screening talks with the films' respective film talents, a talk on local and international film circuits, a colour grading masterclassand film journalism and criticism workshops. It is the HKAC's honour to welcome our overseas guests to visit Hong Kong to introduce and deepen discussions on film art and culture for the Hong Kong public, film industry professionals and students. In June, our special guests include Pierre-Henri Deleau (Co-Founder of Cannes Directors' Fortnight), Wen Tien-Hsiang (Taiwan Film Critic and Programmer,Chief Executive Officer of Taipei Golden Horse Executive Committee), Yov Moor (French Colourist and DI Producer,Jinpa, A Yellow Bird, Norwegian Wood, etc.)and film talents of our participating films.
Connie LAM, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Arts Centre,expressed, “The Hong Kong Arts Centre strives to promote film art and culture to all walks of life in Hong Kong. Films from the Directors' Fortnight are some of our audiences' favourites and have been food for thought to local film professionals and learners. With the shared objective of highlighting film talents to assist in their careers, the Arts Centre is most delighted to present Fortnight films to be paired with Hong Kong films this year, and all the other exciting events by our inspiring guests! The discussions and comparisons will surely throw new lights on films that might have already been seen but are always mesmerising, impressionable and refreshing.”
Christophe LEPARC, Managing Director of the Cannes Directors' Fortnight, remarked, “The Directors' Fortnight is the most unconstrained section at Cannes… The Fortnight is not required to have big names, show premieres nor balance the representation of countries and regions. Its concern is to present new talents and the more experienced but lesser known ones, to offer the unexpected and to incite a range of sensations – in other words, to reveal the most exciting cinematic works.”
Alexandre GIORGINI, Consul-General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, commented, “We trust that the project will encourage intergenerational dialogue between filmmakers and audiences from France, Hong Kong and all around Asia. Vive le cinéma!”
Tickets will be available at URBTIX from 18 April and can be booked on their site here.
