Hong Kong cinema seeks resurgence with fresh faces at Cannes
CANNES, France, May 18 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's once world-famous movie industry wants to bring back the heydays of the 1970s to the 1990s by investing in a new generation of directors, the chairman of the city's film development council told Reuters at the Cannes Film Festival.
"We should not forget our identity. How the people all over the world would look at us when they recognise a Hong Kong movie," said Wilfred Wong, chairman of the council that is mainly responsible for government funding of the industry.
Hong Kong cinema exploded in the 1970s with Bruce Lee's martial arts films. Following his death, that mantle was taken up by Jackie Chan.
The industry expanded into other genres and became the darling of international film festivals with titles such as "In the Mood for Love," "Infernal Affairs" and "Kung Fu Hustle."
Stars like Andy Lau, Michelle Yeoh and Maggie Cheung, and directors such as John Woo and Johnnie To, were frequently seen walking on the festival's red carpet.
Hong Kong's star started to fade in the 1990s when the former British colony was handed over to China, due to a variety of factors, including overproduction, the Asian financial crisis and talent leaving for Hollywood.
With a view to the shrinking industry, investors were unwilling to take a risk on young talent and would only approve productions with well-known stars and directors.
Hong Kong's Film Development Council is now looking to address that by financially supporting new directors' first film initiative.
The council has in recent years groomed 32 new directors, said Wong.
One of those new talents, director and actor Juno Mak, wrote and directed the Cannes out-of-competition film "Sons of the Neon Nights," starring veteran actor Tony Leung Ka-fai.
"It's kind of happiness, joy, enjoyable and satisfaction. So we can again show to all the audience and all the people in the world what Hong Kong productions are going on now," Leung Ka-fai said.
The 67-year-old actor told Reuters that Hong Kong's film industry was in need of new blood.
"We need new generations of directors, new generations of actors and actresses, new generations of script writers, new generations of every part that makes this dream," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
4 hours ago
- The Sun
Heidi Klum frolics in leopard-print and purple bikinis on a yacht for new Calzedonia advert
Joanne Kavanagh, Showbiz Reporter Published: Invalid Date, HEIDI Klum has given her fans a treat in her latest sizzling photo shoot, which sees her frolic in tiny bikinis onboard a yacht. The stunning supermodel, 52, looked incredible as she posed for the new Calzedonia advert. 11 11 11 The German supermodel is the new face of the Italian fashion house, who have previously worked with Kendall Jenner. Heidi, who celebrated turning 52 on Sunday, showed off her timeless figure in a range of bikinis. The tiny two-pieces showed off her toned stomach and endless pins. The advert showcased a number of bikinis in an array of different colours including leopard print and purple. Sharing the sizzling advert on Instagram, Heidi wrote: "For your perfect summer with @Calzedonia ❤." Her fans immediately rushed to share their approval, with one saying: "'You are outstanding, classy Another added: "Just too beautiful!" This one said: "Truly timeless." Heidi Klum nearly busts out of pink bikini as she sunbathes on Cannes getaway with husband Tom Kaulitz HEIDI IN LOVE The new pics come just days after Heidi was seen frolicking with her husband Tom Kaulitz on board another yacht, this time in Cannes. The couple looked smitten with each other, as he rubbed sun cream on her bikini-clad body, and exclaimed: "Lucky me!" Showing off her sensational figure in the process, Heidi rocked another skimpy string bikini. The model's sun-kissed skin was in full view, with her toned tummy and abs front and center. Tom was later seen wrapping his arm around Heidi and embracing her before giving her a big kiss on the lips. The pair looked truly loved up and smitten as they enjoyed the sunshine on their holiday. 11 11 11 Heidi and her husband Tom got engaged in 2018 and then got married in California in February 2019. The pair then had a second ceremony in Capri, Italy later that same year in August 2019. Speaking about Tom in an interview in 2022, Heidi gushed that she had "finally found the one" in her husband. "I just know him so well. We just gel really well," Heidi spilled in an interview with E! News. 11 "I just feel like, 'Finally, I found the one.' So far so good. I hope it stays that way." And in 2024, she even lifted the lid on their sex life. Speaking about their "bedroom sports", Heidi told The Sunday Times: "Sport en chambre is my favorite exercise — it sounds better in French. "I have a younger husband," she gushed.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Shocking moment families brawl at Disneyland after 'row over queue cutting'
A savage brawl broke out at Disneyland after furious tourists became fed up with queue-cutters. Despite being deemed the 'Happiest Place on Earth', the scuffle between a couple and a family of three even saw a young child be assaulted near the Crazy Animal City ride. In a video taken by another person in the queue, a man wearing a black t-shirt grabbed the other man, in a white t-shirt, by the neck. They both wrestled each other as a woman wearing a hat with rabbit ears attached to it repeatedly flailed out her arms. She tried to hit both of the men before running at a visitor, part of the family of three, who carried a child. The woman hit both of them, including the little girl, which caused the mum to break down into tears and crouch on the ground. She kept the child tightly in her arms and held her close to her chest. As she cried, the focus went back to the two men as the woman wearing the rabbit hat went to join in on the scuffle. The man in the white t-shirt who appeared to be part of the family, was wrestled to the ground after he fell on some steps. When he hit the floor, the woman who was still holding her child became hysterical as she reached out her arm to the man. She then stood up and grabbed the woman wearing the hat and began to shout. Security personnel eventually intervened in the fight - which local press said was caused by an argument over the queue - and were able to break up the altercation which took place at Disneyland Park, in Shanghai, China. The shocking scenes attracted a large number of tourists who watched in horror, as reported by NeedToKnow. It is not known whether those involved suffered consequences as a result of their actions but some outlets have said that tourists may face a permanent ban on entering the park if they engage in violent behaviour. It has also been reported that the couple tried to have a photo together which was blocked by the family, leading to a heated exchange before punches began swinging. This is not the first time an outrageous brawl broke out at Disneyland - with another viral video taken of a fight in 2023. Punches and kicks were thrown between two families on the walkway between Storybook Land Canal Boats and Mad Tea Party rides in Fantasyland. A tourist wearing blue pushes another clad in red before a second guest - also wearing red - runs up and throws a punch at the apparent instigator. The camera pans away but swings back to reveal two more guests joining in. Another two people are absorbed in the brawl as bystanders rush from the scene. One man topples to the ground - only to be kicked by a woman as he attempts to regain his balance. Small children closest to the fight hang onto a nearby guardrail as they inch away. Disneyland security hurried to break up the fight while Fantasyland cast members closed off the area between the parade route and the Mad Hatter gift shop. According to visitor who filmed the scuffle, the family wearing red was asked to move aside by another family attempting to pass. The family in red 'gave them attitude' and told them to go around. However, this was not possible, as there was only a small opening and the second family had strollers. The families continued to exchange verbal blows before teenage girls from both sides began to argue 'in close proximity' - launching an all-out fistfight. Park officials say the party that initiated the incident was immediately removed, adding that 'any type of violence will not be tolerated at Disneyland Resort'.
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Renee Zellweger reveals the Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy scenes that made her break down into tears
Renee Zellweger has revealed what scenes in Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy caused her to cry on set, despite the moment not calling for tears. Zellweger, 56, has recently returned to her legendary role of Bridget Jones in the latest installment of the series, which takes place four years after the death of her on-screen husband, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Firth, 64, makes several cameos in the film, with his character appearing before Renee as a vision. While Bridget is said to have made peace with the loss, Zellweger could not help but get emotional once she saw Firth in costume, she said at the FYC event on Saturday, according to Variety. Director Michael Morris, 51, revealed Zellweger cried filming the moments, and the actress called the realization it would be the 'end of' of their 'shared journey' together a 'gut punch.' Zellweger explained it was difficult to film as the scenes did not call for Bridget to be emotional. 'Yet seeing him there on the sidewalk in his Mark Darcy finery with his briefcase and coat, it just got to me,' she explained. 'I didn't expect to be so emotional about the end of this shared journey with my friend, recognizing, "Oh, wait, he's gonna wrap today, and that's it." And the finality of it just really was a gut punch. 'Isn't that crazy? Because when you get lucky, beyond getting to work with your friends, once you know, it sounds so silly, but it felt very profound in the moment,' she explained before letting out a laugh. 'Maybe I'm crazy because maybe I love a fictional character!' The long-awaited sequel sees Zellweger reprise her role as the titular heroine, and sees her adjusting to life as widowed single mother following the shock death of Darcy and returning to the dating scene. The actress looked absolutely radiant as she attended the Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy FYC event, held at the the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on Saturday. She posed posed up a storm in a fitted burgundy suit dress with her blonde hair styled into a chic bun and her feet slipped into classic Christian Louboutin heels. Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy was released earlier this year, and Renee has remained in-demand, recently spotted filming Only Murders In The Building in NYC. Renee's iconic singleton finally married Mark Darcy in the most recent film, 2016's Bridget Jones' Baby. The couple had shared an on-and-off romance across all three films, which are based on the Helen Fielding book series, but finally got their happy ending after it was revealed the high-flying lawyer was the father of her baby. However, in the fourth book and film, Mark tragically dies while working abroad as a human rights lawyer, leaving Bridget a widow and battling motherhood alone.
