The Asian Film Awards Academy (AFA Academy), in collaboration with mm2 Entertainment (mm2), Cathay Cineplexes, with the financial support of Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) and Film Development Fund (FDF), as well as the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Singapore, announced on Thursday (17 Jun) the details of ‘Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2021‘ in Singapore.
The three-day programme featuring six recent Hong Kong films, will run from 2 to 4 July.
All screenings will be held at The Cathay Cineplex, located at 2 Handy Road. The screenings will be in original Cantonese language with English and Chinese subtitles.
More information on titles, screening schedule, and tickets can be found on the website of AFA Academy and mm2 Entertainment, and mm2 Entertainment Singapore Facebook page.
In addition to Singapore, the other three ASEAN countries to host the ‘Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2021‘ are Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
Films to be shown
The Singapore programme will open with musician and actor Chiu Sin-hang’s impressive solo directorial follow-up ‘One Second Champion‘ after ‘Vampire Cleanup Department‘ in 2017.
The film topped the Hong Kong box office when it was released in March 2021. Born with the ability to see one second into the future, a father takes up prize fighting to fund surgery for his hearing-impaired son.
Adam Wong’s ‘The Way We Keep Dancing‘ is the eagerly anticipated sequel to his popular 2013 success ‘The Way We Dance‘ on street dance culture in Hong Kong. This time, the dancers, including Cherry Ngan and Babyjohn Choi from the original cast, are faced with gentrification of the district that has nurtured their creativity.
Screenwriter turned director Anselm Chan Mou-yin’s romantic comedy debut ‘Ready o/r Knot‘ portrays lustful men who will do anything to avoid marriage, and insecure women who feel the need to trap their men into marrying them.
Having made a significant impact with his directorial debut ‘Tracey‘ in 2018, director Jun Li’s second feature ‘Drifting‘ takes a close look at the homeless people of Hong Kong. It features an outstanding ensemble of actors and shows a sensitive approach to an important social issue.
Produced by ten major Hong Kong film companies to raise money for Hong Kong film industry workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Vincent Kwok’s ‘All U Need Is Love‘ features an all-star ensemble cast.
The programme will close with ‘Septet: The Story of Hong Kong‘ directed by seven of Hong Kong’s most revered auteurs – Sammo Hung, Ann Hui, Patrick Tam, Yuen Wo Ping, Johnnie To, the late Ringo Lam and Tsui Hark who come together to compose a symphony of stories about their city.
“Hong Kong cinema is well-regarded by Singaporean cinephiles for decades”
“The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is committed to facilitating the long-term development of the Hong Kong film industry,” said Wilfred Wong, Chairman of the AFA Academy and Hong Kong International Film Festival Society.
“The missions of the ‘Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2021’ are to strengthen film and cultural exchanges, provide an international platform for promoting relations between film businesses, and bring together film professionals from ASEAN countries. We are looking for close collaboration and cooperation among the regions,” he added.
“Hong Kong cinema is well-regarded by Singaporean cinephiles for decades. This film programme will allow a new generation of Singaporean audiences to discover the rich and vibrant creativity of contemporary movies produced out of Hong Kong,” said Chang Long Jong, CEO at mm2 Asia Ltd.
“The Singapore market has always had a good appetite for Hong Kong movies, given the close connection and cultural affinity between the two places. We certainly welcome more film events that can showcase the vigour of Hong Kong’s film industry and its gifted talents in the ASEAN region,” said Wong Chun To, Director of the HKETO in Singapore.
