HK Govt Commits to Work Closely with Film IndustryHong Kong will continue to prosper as a major and leading film production center in the world, with outputs which can achieve the highest standards at the international level, said Carrie Yau, secretary for information technology and broadcasting (designate) of Hong Kong, Wednesday.The Hong Kong government was fully aware of the talents in the local film industry and the important contributions it made to Hong Kong's economy and image as an international city, said Yau, when she addressed the opening ceremony of the fourth Hong Kong International Film and TV Market (FILMART) Wednesday morning. The reviving Asian economy and the strong demand for entertainment content due to the rapid development of the Internet business have resulted in a robust turnaround in the local film industry, not only in terms of output but also in raising quality and gaining international recognition, according to Yau. She said the government has established the Film Services Advisory Committee, with members drawn from the industry, to advise on matters relating to the government's objective to support and promote the development of the film industry in Hong Kong. It also set up the 100 million HK dollars (12.8 million U.S. dollars) Film Development Fund to provide financial support to projects which are beneficial to the healthy and long-term development of the local film industry, she added. FILMART started in 1997 as Hong Kong's film and television industry's first international trade fair, bringing together producers, distributors, and suppliers and buyers in the industry from all over the world. Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, the event has grown in the past three years not only in terms of numbers of exhibitors and participants, but also in the scope of its activities. |
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