Hong Kong International Film Festival
| Location | Hong Kong, China |
|---|---|
| Language | International |
| Website | http://www.hkiff.org.hk/en/ |
The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF, Chinese: 香港國際電影節) is a platform for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers from all over the world to launch and experience new film work. There are seminars, conferences, exhibitions, and parties celebrating the festival community. The festival is committed to discovering talent, and it is also a major platform to launch films to the Greater China region and Asian market.
Founded in 1976, the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) is Asia’s oldest international film festival and a pioneer in introducing Hong Kong, Chinese language and Asian cinema and filmmakers to the world.
Annually screening around 250 titles from more than 50 countries in over 10 major cultural venues across the territory, the Festival is Hong Kong’s largest cultural event that reaches an audience of over 600,000, including 7,000 business executives who attend the Hong Kong International Film & Television Market (FILMART), a concurrent event of the HKIFF.
The festival features world and international premiers of Hong Kong and Asian films, and Asian premiers of international films. The festival has maintained its founding premise of bringing films to local audiences that they might not be aware of, and of introducing Hong Kong, Chinese language, and Asian films to the world.
The Festival draws extensive media coverage from over 500 local and international press members and continues to grow in importance as one of the premier platforms to launch films in Asia.
The 40th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF40) was held from 21 March to 4 April 2016. This year, the festival received 3,183 film submissions, 248 films from 66 countries/regions were shown in 11 major cultural venues in Hong Kong. 63 of the films were world, international or Asian premieres.
History
Previously operated by Urban Council and Leisure and Cultural Services Department, from 1977 to 2001, and Hong Kong Arts Development Council, from 2002 to 2004, HKIFF was officially incorporated as an independent, charitable organisation – Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited - after completing its 28th edition. The Hong Kong Government has continued to subsidise the festival through venue provision and funding of up to HK$7 million.
New films are featured as gala premieres, with the directors and cast presenting on the red carpet, and inside the cinema, to greet the audience. The Festival draws over 300 global members of the press.
There are five categories of awards, decided by juries consisting of film industry professionals such as film critics, directors and film festival delegates:
- Asian Digital Competition
- Humanitarian Awards for Documentaries
- FIPRESCI Awards
- SIGNIS Awards
- The Fresh Wave Short Film Competition
About the organiser
The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) is a charitable, non-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to the discovery and promotion of creativity in the art and culture of film. The society holds year-round programmes that aim to strengthen global appreciation of Chinese film culture and to promote good films from around the world, enriching the cultural life of Hong Kong.
With a commitment to "Making World Cinema Accessible and Affordable to the Public", the society organises three annual flagship events in March and April: the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF), the Hong Kong - Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF). Another annual highlight is the Summer International Film Festival (Summer IFF) held every August. Besides, the HKIFF Cine Fan Programme was launched in April 2013 with the aim to enrich and deepen the experience of Hong Kong moviegoers, the monthly programme features a variety of curate contemporary, retrospective and thematic showcases.
Passionately believing in the power of films to unite cultures and generations, the HKIFFS is devoted to giving thousands of film lovers around the region direct access to the world’s most inspired films all year round.
Screening venues
- Hong Kong Cultural Centre
- Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
- Hong Kong City Hall
- Hong Kong Film Archive
- Hong Kong Science Museum
- Hong Kong Space Museum
- Hong Kong Arts Centre
- UA Times Square
- UA Cityplaza
- UA Langham Place
- The Grand Cinema
HKIFF events
The HKIFF is also a lifestyle event where festival-goers can attend panel discussions, forums, seminars, exhibitions, live music performances, and parties celebrating the festival.
Chinese censorship
In 2002, a legitimate film in the HKIFF program was retracted because a banned film was shown alongside it. Filmmakers worried that being in the league of banned films might offend the authorities. But it was the country title of “China” printed in the programme notes that the Chinese Government had contested, not the film itself.
In China, a film that has not received documentation is unauthorized, and therefore does not officially exist. Labelling such a film as “from China” offends the Chinese Government.
When the HKIFF ran these films, the Chinese government would retract them. They would blame it on the improper procedures taken by HKIFF but say nothing of the film content. The HKIFF has found a way around this.
Unauthorised films can still be part of the HKIFF programme, thanks to creative classification. Since the 2003 incident, the HKIFF no longer classified Chinese language films by their countries of origin. They began to label mainland Chinese, Taiwanese and Singaporean films by their languages. It has had no trouble since.