Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation in Bangkok with Exclusive Installation Exhibition
Leads Audiences Through the Surreal and the Real of Hong Kong Cinema. Joey WU, Catherine CHAU, Yukki TAI and Ronald LAM Share Their Creative Journeys and Celebrate the Diversity of Hong Kong Cinema.
Organised by the Asian Film Awards Academy and supported by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), the Film Development Fund (FDF), and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Bangkok, the Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation will take place from 31 July (Friday) to 9 August (Sunday) at HOUSE Samyan in Bangkok, Thailand.
The programme will present seven distinctive Hong Kong films and bring members of the filmmaking teams to Bangkok for post-screening sharing sessions and thematic talks, allowing Thai audiences to engage directly with Hong Kong filmmakers. The event aims to strengthen cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Thailand while showcasing the continuing creative vitality of Hong Kong cinema to international audiences.
A special Bangkok-exclusive exhibition, “HONG KONG CINEMA: BRIDGING SURREAL & REAL”, will also be presented alongside the screenings. Through installation art inspired by multiple films in the programme, the exhibition invites audiences to travel between fantasy and reality, offering a fresh perspective on cinematic storytelling and its deeper meanings.
A Diverse Selection of Hong Kong Films and Cultural Exchange
The festival opens with Bird of Paradise, with director-screenwriter Joey WU and lead actress Catherine CHAU attending the opening ceremony and post-screening sharing session in Bangkok. Through a heartfelt and nuanced portrayal of women’s growth and transformation across different stages of life, the film invites audiences to reflect on family, life, and self-worth.
In addition to the opening film, the programme features a selection of acclaimed recent Hong Kong productions, including Afterpiece, Unidentified Murder, Dog Day Evening, Someone Like Me, and Palimpsest: The Story of a Name. Spanning drama, romance, dark comedy and art-house cinema, the line-up highlights the diversity and creativity of a new generation of Hong Kong filmmakers. A special screening of the Hong Kong classic Web of Deception will also be presented, offering Thai audiences an opportunity to revisit the enduring charm of Hong Kong cinema’s golden era and appreciate its lasting artistic value.
Throughout the event, Hong Kong filmmakers will travel to Bangkok to engage with local audiences and industry professionals. Guests include Joey WU, director and screenwriter of Afterpiece; Catherine CHAU, the film’s lead actress; Yukki TAI, actor from Dog Day Evening; and Ronald LAM, actor from Unidentified Murder. In addition to participating in post-screening discussions, they will join two thematic seminars exploring topics such as the creative process behind Hong Kong cinema, character development, and directorial perspectives. These exchanges aim to deepen dialogue between Hong Kong and Thai film communities and strengthen cultural connections between the two regions.
“HONG KONG CINEMA: BRIDGING SURREAL & REAL” Installation Art Exhibition
Alongside the film screenings, audiences can experience the exclusive exhibition “HONG KONG CINEMA: BRIDGING SURREAL & REAL.” Set against a backdrop of rapid technological advancement and social transformation, the exhibition explores how Hong Kong cinema navigates the space between imagination and reality, reflecting contemporary emotions, anxieties, hopes and aspirations through the language of film.
Inspired by the seven films featured in this year’s programme, the exhibition transforms iconic scenes, props and narrative elements into immersive installation artworks. Highlights include the self-service photo booth from Bird of Paradise, the UFO scene set from Unidentified Murder, the theatre stage from Afterpiece, the customer service centre from Dog Day Evening, the painting canvas from Someone Like Me, and the letters from Palimpsest: The Story of a Name.
Moving through these installations, audiences are invited to revisit and reinterpret the films, experiencing how Hong Kong cinema intertwines fantasy and reality while addressing themes of identity, emotion and society. The exhibition celebrates the richness and diversity of contemporary Hong Kong filmmaking through a distinctive cinematic language.
The Asian Film Awards Academy has long been committed to promoting cultural exchange through cinema across Asia. Through the Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation, the Academy brings Hong Kong films to audiences around the world, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and enhancing international appreciation of Hong Kong cinema.
Following the successful editions in Bali and Riyadh, the Bangkok programme continues this mission through three core components: film screenings, a thematic exhibition, and public seminars. Together, these initiatives deepen cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Thailand, using cinema as a shared language to connect audiences and showcase the enduring power of Hong Kong films to transcend borders, cultures and generations.
About Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA)
The Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA) was founded by the Busan, Hong Kong and Tokyo International Film Festivals, it is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting Asian cinema and nurturing film talent. In addition to organising the annual Asian Film Awards, AFAA presents year-round screenings, cultural exchange programmes, talent development initiatives and international promotion projects to foster collaboration across the Asian film industry. Through these initiatives, AFAA strengthens connections among film professionals across Asia and promotes Asian cinema to international audiences.
About Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA)
The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), established in June 2024 and formerly known as Create Hong Kong, is a dedicated office set up by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. It provides one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries.
About Film Development Fund (FDF)
The Film Development Fund (FDF) was first set up by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government in 1999 to support projects conducive to the long-term development of the local film industry. Since 2005, the HKSAR Government has injected around $ 2.9 billion in total into FDF to support Hong Kong’s film industry along four strategic directions, namely nurturing talent, enhancing local production, expanding markets and building audience. In the past, FDF has supported a number of film productions and other film-related projects through various film production funding schemes and other film-related project schemes.
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Email: info@afa-academy.com
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Website: www.afa-academy.com
