Govt mulls movie-themed attractions, drawing int’l filmmakers to HK

DAB lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun proposed on Wednesday to utilize the Film Development Fund to set up a movie-themed tourist attraction in Hong Kong, to ride on the splash made recently by the film “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” at the Cannes Film Festival.

The fund was set up in 1999 to support the development of the Hong Kong film industry along four strategic directions, including nurturing talent, enhancing local production, expanding markets and building audience.

Responding to the proposal at LegCo, Undersecretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Raistlin Lau Chun said the government is willing to consider various proposals to promote film development and simultaneously boost the tourism industry.

He said the government will consider ways to attract more international film production teams to shoot in Hong Kong, including providing one-stop services and preferential policies.

Lau also said over 100 emerging directors and producers are already engaged in some 100 films funded under the Film Development Fund, which have won more than 160 local and international awards.

Meanwhile, in order to further subsidize Hong Kong films to explore overseas markets, Lau said the government launched the Film Financing Scheme for Mainland Market in May to support Hong Kong film companies and the Mainland cultural enterprises to invest in and promote the productions of Hong Kong directors, as well as helping boost the chance of having Hong Kong films released in the Mainland market.