The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (HKETO) supported the inaugural edition of the Kung Fu Film Festival (Festival), which has presented six screenings of martial arts movies across the Greater Toronto Area from May 31 to June 1 to celebrate the 50 years of Hong Kong’s kung fu cinema heritage and its influence on global film culture.
To mark the festival’s debut, HKETO hosted an opening ceremony in Markham on May 31 with the presence of Canada Hong Kong Intercultural Association President and the Festival Chair, Ms Connie Yu, Secretary Manager of Southern Film Culture Foundation and the Festival Curator, Ms Catherine Lam, along with the Consul-General of the People's Republic of China in Toronto, Mr Luo Weidong, Senator Mr Woo Yuen-pau, Member of Parliament of Canada Mr Michael Ma and about 50 guests from the local film, cultural and business communities. Some of them also graced the closing ceremony before the screening of the Hong Kong production “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” directed by Soi Cheang and starring Louis Koo, Raymond Lam and Philip Ng in Toronto on June 1.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the Acting Director of the HKETO, Mr Gavin Yeung, highlighted Hong Kong’s position as an international hub for the arts, cultural and creative industries.
“Each film featured in this festival is a gem of Hong Kong's film industry,” Mr Yeung shared. “Over the decades, Hong Kong movies and film talents have won numerous international awards. Many Hong Kong actors, directors, cinematographers and producers have become household names at global level.”
Mr Yeung also reaffirmed the commitment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government to supporting the cultural and creative industries, noting that significant funding has been approved through the Film Development Fund for film projects. He added that the HKETO would continue to bring more Hong Kong films to participate in various international film festivals across Canada.
The two-day festival curated a selection of six Hong Kong martial arts films produced between 1974 and 2024, including “The Shaolin Temple” (including a special AI anime version), “Martial Club”, “Ip Man 3”, “Kids from Shaolin”, “Hapkido”, and “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In”, offering Canadian audience a dynamic view into the evolution of Hong Kong-produced kung fu cinema.
In addition, a student seminar with Q&A session was held during the festival at Cineplex Cinemas Scarborough on June 1. The audience actively engaged in the discussion and shared their views on Hong Kong’s martial arts movies.
首屆功夫電影節在多倫多圓滿落幕
香港駐多倫多經濟貿易辦事處（香港經貿處）支持舉辦第一屆功夫電影節（電影節），於五月三十一日至六月一日在大多倫多地區放映六齣功夫電影，宣揚香港功夫電影五十年來的文化傳承及對全球電影文化的深遠影響。
為慶祝電影節的開幕，香港經貿處於五月三十一日在萬錦市舉行開幕儀式，出席嘉賓包括加港文化交流協會會長及電影節主席余淑華、南方電影文化基金會秘書長及電影節策展人林雲華、中國駐多倫多總領事羅偉東、參議員胡元豹、加拿大國會議員馬榮崢，以及約50位本地電影、文化及商界代表。部分嘉賓亦出席於六月一日在多倫多市舉行的閉幕禮，放映由鄭保瑞執導，古天樂、林峯、伍允龍主演的香港電影《九龍城寨之圍城》。
香港經貿處署理處長楊江鋒在閉幕禮上致辭，指出香港是藝術、文化及創意產業的國際中心。
他說：「電影節每一部展映電影都是香港電影界的瑰寶。幾十年來，香港電影及電影人才屢獲國際殊榮，許多香港演員、導演、攝影指導及製片人更是享譽全球。」
楊江鋒表示，香港特別行政區政府致力支持文化創意產業，並透過電影發展基金資助電影項目。他亦表示，駐香港經貿處將繼續引入更多香港電影參加加拿大各地的國際影展。
為期兩天的電影節精選六部由1974年至2024年間製作的香港功夫電影，包括《少林寺》（包括AI動畫特別版）、《武館》、《葉問3》、《少林小子》、《合氣道》及《九龍城寨之圍城》，為加拿大觀眾呈獻港產功夫電影演變歷程的多元面貌。
此外，電影節於六月一日在士嘉堡電影院舉辦了一場學術研討會及問答環節，觀眾踴躍參與討論，分享對香港功夫電影的看法。
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