Swiss audience thrilled by Hong Kong film highlights

HKETO Berlin presented a selection of four of the latest Hong Kong films in the dedicated “Window: Hong Kong” section of the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) in Switzerland. The ZFF opened its gates from September 24 to October 4, 2020 to a total of 68,000 visitors – making the 16th edition of the event the first major international film festival in the world to be held again with a full programme and purely physically since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of the Hong Kong film screenings were sold out. The Swiss audience enjoyed productions that included the award-winning films Better Days directed by Derek Kwok-cheung Tsang, Fatal Visit by Calvin Poon, My Prince Edward by Norris Wong and the much-lauded drama Suk Suk by Ray Yeung. This year’s “Window: Hong Kong” touched on a wide range of subjects, with stories ranging from romantic crime coming of age to unpredictable thriller and further to drama that comes in the search for personal happiness. Each of them was an excellent example of the uniqueness of Hong Kong films, and how they can powerfully immerse the viewer in their stories.

In his opening speech before the first screening on September 24, 2020, Mr Bill Li, Director of the HKETO Berlin, pointed to the long history and tradition of Hong Kong’s film industry. The city also offers ample opportunities for film production professionals from around the world to tap into the vastly growing Chinese market. “We will promote further development of Hong Kong’s film industry, and nurture more talents”, he promised.