HK films find new role in bigger market
HONG KONG — As the forerunner of Chinese films in the 20th century, Hong Kong films have been enjoyed and discussed by movie fans with their influence spreading far and wide.
Since Hong Kong’s return to the motherland, more Hong Kong filmmakers have been exploring cooperation possibilities with the mainland by integrating themselves into its culture and market.
“In the process of cultural exchanges and integration with the mainland, Hong Kong films have gained a wider field of vision. The national consciousness has become more prominent in the works of Hong Kong filmmakers,” says Ma Fung-kwok, chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Hong Kong Member Association.
Broader perspective
In the 1970s and ’80s, Hong Kong films recorded high achievements in production, box office, quality and artistry, earning a reputation as “the Hollywood of the East”.
“Rich elements were included in Hong Kong films in the 1970s and ’80s, and creative talent kept emerging to make films dynamic and attractive,” says Hong Kong actor Simon Yam.
In the 1990s, the industry waned. The number of film practitioners in Hong Kong dropped to less than 5,000 in 2003 from 20,000 in the 1980s in the face of difficulties such as the financial crisis and some internal problems in the film industry.
According to Ma, Hong Kong’s return to the motherland in 1997 provided a foundation for increased communication between the mainland and Hong Kong film industries.
“Some Hong Kong filmmakers began to realize that if they wanted to find new development opportunities, they must turn their eyes to the mainland market,” Ma says.
The signing of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement in 2003 provided a “new engine” for Hong Kong films to enter the mainland market, and a large number of Hong Kong filmmakers followed the trend of “going north” to seek development.
Ma’s words were echoed by Hong Kong filmmaker Tenky Tin. “The development of mainland films is at a peak. The rapid development of the film industry and rich social themes have provided opportunities for Hong Kong filmmakers.”
Hong Kong filmmakers will have more room to play their part in the process of integrating into the national development, Tin says.
Mainland themes
In recent years, it has become popular for Hong Kong film directors to cooperate with mainland companies and producers to direct mainstream films, which absorbs the filmmaking elements from Hong Kong’s successful commercial films and also gives “China stories” a richer perspective.
From films such as The Taking of Tiger Mountain to The Bravest, The Captain and The Battle at Lake Changjin, it is not hard to see that Hong Kong filmmakers interpret the profound love of the Chinese people for their family and their country well, making mainstream films attractive and propelling them to box-office success.
“Telling the ‘China stories’ gives me a great sense of achievement and happiness,” says Hong Kong film director Dante Lam, adding that the inspiring stories portrayed through his lens were all created in the context of national development.
Ma believes that agreeing with the values of the mainland, while giving full play to the advantages of the Hong Kong film industry, is the key to Hong Kong filmmakers’ success in the mainland market.
In November 2021, The Battle at Lake Changjin, a movie set during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53), landed in Hong Kong theaters. On the first day of its release, 149 screenings were scheduled in nearly 40 theaters, with tickets for some screenings hard to get.
Tin believes that the popularity of this movie in Hong Kong reflects the rising sense of national identity among Hong Kong residents, who are eager to learn about the country’s development from the movie.
“As a content product, the film can further promote emotional integration between compatriots in Hong Kong and mainland in the future and help Hong Kong residents better understand the country,” Tin says.
International influence
China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (202125) supports Hong Kong’s development into a hub for arts and cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world, which is undoubtedly a strong impetus for the integration of Hong Kong’s film industry into the mainland’s film and television industries, Ma says.
“This is the country’s positive response to the current needs of Hong Kong’s cultural development,” Ma says, adding that it will help Hong Kong give full play to the unique advantages of “one country, two systems” and continue to promote cultural exchanges between Hong Kong and the mainland.
Close in terms of language, culture and customs, the cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area enjoy the regional advantage of integration and development of the film industry.
With the continuous development of the area, culture has been regarded as one of the keys to promoting its overall development.
Hence, the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong KongMacao Greater Bay Area proposes to fully leverage the strength and expertise of Hong Kong talent in the film and television industries, promote cooperation among the film and television industries in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, strengthen film investment and cooperation, and support Hong Kong in its development into an exposition hub for television and film.
For the first time this year, the performers’ training class of Hong Kong’s Television Broadcasts Limited, which has trained many famous actors and actresses, is open to applicants from both Hong Kong and the mainland.
As a former student of the training class, Yam thinks that the training of film talent is also essential for promoting the healthy development of China’s film industry.
“I believe that with increasing exchanges and cooperation between film and television talent from Hong Kong and the mainland, more exquisite artworks will emerge and Chinese films will be able to better compete in the international market,” Yam says.