Press Release - November 27, 2003

The Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) recently signed between Hong Kong and Mainland China offers a gateway for Canadian film companies to tap the huge Chinese film market by partnering with Hong Kong-based companies to leverage on the unique advantages the Asia�s world city enjoys under the CEPA framework.

The Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Canada) (HKETO), Mr. Bassanio So, said this when he addressed Canadian film professionals in Toronto today (November 27) at a film seminar organized as Hong Kong�s contribution to the 7th Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival held until November 30. Apart from the �1:99 Short Film Series�, the HKETO also organized a photo exhibition, which is on display at the National Film Board (150 John Street) until November 30, to promote the series and co-presented a film seminar with Reel Asian.

Entitled �Hong Kong: Gateway to China�s 1.3 Billion Audience�, the film seminar was an information sharing session to look at how Canadian companies can access the Chinese film market through co-productions with Hong Kong-based companies through CEPA.

At the seminar, which was well-attended by Canadian film directors, producers and professionals in the local film industry, Mr. So explored with other panelists and participants on how Canadian film companies can capitalize on the tremendous business opportunities presented by CEPA which allows films co-produced with Hong Kong to enjoy quota-free and unlimited access to the Mainland film market starting from January 1, 2004. The relaxation on the co-production requirements on film-making paves the way for overseas film companies, including those in Canada, to gain a foothold in Mainland China.

Other panelists at today�s seminar included Harriet Heller, Senior Investment Analyst of Telefilm Canada; Ricky Chan, a veteran Hong Kong producer, and Anita Lee, the Film Festival President and Co-founder of the Reel Asian as the moderator.

For details of the CEPA, please visit the HKETO website www.hketo.ca or the Hong Kong Trade and Industry Department website at http://www.tid.gov.hk/english/cepa/index.html.


For more information, please contact:
John Tam, Chief Information Officer of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office at: (416) 924-5544 or email: [email protected] or
Elison Chu, Senior Information Office, [email protected]

At the film seminar entitled �Hong Kong: Gateway to China�s 1.3 Billion Audience�, co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Canada)(HKETO) and the 7th Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, HKETO Director Bassanio So (2nd from right) and the other panel speakers discussed how CEPA would benefit Canadian film companies to tap the huge film market of Mainland China through co-productions with Hong Kong.