HK films find new role in bigger market

International influence

China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) 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 Kong-Macao 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.