Hong Kong filmmakers gathered in Phnom Penh to showcase the unique charm of Hong Kong cinema and foster cultural exchange
The "Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation" in Phnom Penh, Cambodia included post-screening sharing sessions, media interviews, and film production conversations. The event caught attention from local audiences, filmmakers, and media, promoting film cultural exchange between Hong Kong and Cambodia.
For the very first time, the “Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation” was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where seven Hong Kong films were screened. Hong Kong filmmakers flew to Phnom Penh to attend the event, including executive producer Angus Chan, producer John Chong and actor Jozev Kiu of “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In”, director Ricky Ko and actress Larine Tang of “Out of the Shadow, and producer Kinnie Cheung of “As it Burns”, who joined the post-screening Q&A sessions and interviews with local media, visited local film production studios and attended filmmaker conversations.
“Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” which recently grossed over HKD 100 million at the Hong Kong box office, had a full house screening in Cambodia. Executive producer Angus Chan and producer John Chong shared the story development process and the difficulties encountered during the film’s preparation, as well as some interesting behind-the-scenes stories. While actor Jozev Kiu shared his experience of being an action actor for the first time and detailed the preparation and training he did for his role.
This was the first time for director Ricky Ko and actress Larine Tang of “Out of the Shadow” to conduct a post-screening session in Cambodia, they felt very excited and honored. Larine Tang expressed, “This is my first overseas promotion experience for a film, and I have gained deeper understanding of Cambodian culture and the film market through this trip.” Ricky Ko hopes to have more opportunities for co-production and in-depth exchanges with local filmmakers in the future, and to explore more international cooperation opportunities.
Producer Kinnie Cheung met the audience after the screening of “As it Burns”, where she shared in detail about the creative process and the challenges in the filmmaking process, allowing the audience to gain a deeper understanding of the story and the efforts made by the film crew. Cheung stated: “I hope that through these exchange activities, more people would pay attention to and support the development of Asian cinema.”
In addition to the post-screening sharing, Hong Kong filmmakers visited the first Dolby Atmos certified film mixing studio in Cambodia – Kong Chak Pictures. This studio is equipped with advanced technology and facilities, attracting domestic and foreign filmmakers to visit and collaborate for their projects. It has been involved in the post-production or mixing of works such as “Return to Seoul” and “Last Shadow at First Light”, both received positive responses in the international film arena. Cambodian producer and studio head Loy Te shared the experience of international film post-production collaboration, emphasizing the importance of working with professionals from around the world, and the vision of cultivating local post-production talents in the future.
Actor Jozev Kiu from “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” attended a discussion with well-known Cambodian action actress Tharoth Sam and director Jimmy Henderson of “Jailbreak”, the first Cambodian produced action blockbuster, at the Bophana audiovisual resource Center. Jozev Kiu is a Wuxia novelist who is passionate about martial arts. He exchanged ideas and experience on martial arts and making action films with the other two guest speakers, while Tharoth Sam spontaneously demonstrated some action moves, creating a lively atmosphere.
Director Ricky Ko of “Out of the Shadow” also joined a new director sharing session at the Bophana Center. In a relaxing setting, new directors from different regions exchanged their future filming plans and shared their insights and experiences on the path of directing. In addition, they discussed technical details and creative inspirations. More importantly, participants expressed a strong desire to explore the opportunities for co-production between Hong Kong and Cambodia, hoping that such cooperation can promote the exchange and integration of film cultures between the two places.
During the “Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation”, the Hong Kong filmmakers who visited Cambodia were interviewed by various local media, including Cambodian television channels, the major local English media outlet Khmer Times, online media Jaikon, and Oh Wow Media. These interviews not only showcased the charm of Hong Kong cinema, but also promoted cultural exchange between the two places. Hong Kong media outlets were also invited to join the delegation and report on the event. They closely followed and interviewed the filmmakers, detailing their experiences in the filmmaking process. The in-depth coverage by the Hong Kong media has allowed more people to understand and follow the development of Hong Kong cinema.
“Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation” was organized by the Asian Film Awards Academy, with the financial support from Hong Kong’s Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA), Film Development Fund and Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, in collaboration with Westec Media Limited,. The event took place at the largest creative park in Southeast Asia, Factory Phnom Penh, featuring screenings of popular Hong Kong films and an exhibition on “Dynamic Cityscapes of Hong Kong Films”, allowing Cambodian and Southeast Asian audiences to understand the development of contemporary Hong Kong cinema.
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