Hong Kong Film Archive Revisits Charm of Classic Chinese Opera Films in August Screening Series

Film Archive to screen four classic films to revisit charm of traditional Chinese opera arts

The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will launch the screening programme entitled "Gems of Chinese Opera Film" from August 16 to September 20, featuring four classic Chinese opera films from the 1950s and 1960s at the HKFA Cinema, allowing audiences to revisit the charm of traditional Chinese opera arts. The screening programme is one of the programmes of the Chinese Culture Festival (CCF) 2026.

Known for its Jiangnan style, Yue opera is renowned for its elegant and melodious tunes, beautiful lyrics and refined costumes. Screenwriter Xu Jin's Yue opera film adaptation "Dream of the Red Chamber" (1962) is considered a classic among other opera film adaptations of the original novel. Wang Wenjuan as Lin Daiyu and Xu Yulan as Jia Baoyu demonstrate rich stage experience and outstanding acting skills in the film. With the stellar acting performances and music accompaniment of the Second Troupe of the Shanghai Yue Opera Group, the film displays the essence of Yue opera on the silver screen, making it a timeless Chinese opera film masterpiece.

Another selected Chinese opera film, "Bride Hunter" (1961), is a Yue opera comedy co-directed by Hu Siao-fung and the great author Jin Yong under the pseudonym of Lin Huan. Legendary film actress Hsia Moon takes on a male role for the first time as the protagonist Zhou Wenbin, and then showcases her alluring female charm as Zhou disguises as a woman in the story, a performance that continues to delight audiences to this day.

The Cantonese opera film "The Lost Kite" (1957) (2K Digitised Version) features a plot of twists and turns about a maid falling in love with a scholar. Playing an elderly male character for the first time, Ma Si-tsang's polished singing complements Hung Sin Nui's unique vocal style, fully demonstrating the mesmerising quality of Cantonese opera.

The Chaozhou opera film classic "So Luk Neung" (1960) (2K Digitised Version) tells the story of So Luk Neung and her cousin, who fall in love over time, only for her father to marry her off to someone else. Upon the film's release in places including Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, the film not only won critical acclaim and box-office success, but also sparked a trend for Chaozhou opera films in the 1960s.

Each screening session will be accompanied by a post-screening talk. Speakers include renowned stage director and playwright Edward Lam, Cantonese opera performer Wang Kit-ching, Chaozhou opera performer Chan Ming-ying, Chinese opera researcher Lio Mio-mei, and film researcher Yuen Tsz-ying.

The Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd. is the partner organisation of this screening programme.Tickets priced at $60 will be available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk) from July 17 (Friday). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. A 20 per cent discount is available for every purchase of two or more regular-priced tickets of this programme. For programme details, please visit the HKFA website at www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en/web/hkfa/2026/ccf-chinese-opera/pe-event-2026-ccf-chinese-opera.html or call 2739 2139.

The CCF, presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and organised by the Chinese Culture Promotion Office under the LCSD, aims to promote Chinese culture and enhance the public's sense of national identity and cultural confidence, thereby facilitating patriotic education. It also aims to attract top-notch artists and arts groups from the Chinese Mainland and other parts of the world for exchanges in Chinese arts and culture. The CCF 2026 is being held from June to September. For more information, please visit www.ccf.gov.hk.

The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will launch the screening programme entitled "Gems of Chinese Opera Film" from August 16 to September 20, featuring four classic Chinese opera films from the 1950s and 1960s at the HKFA Cinema. Photo shows a film still of "So Luk Neung" (1960) (2K Digitised Version). (Courtesy of Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd.) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will launch the screening programme entitled "Gems of Chinese Opera Film" from August 16 to September 20, featuring four classic Chinese opera films from the 1950s and 1960s at the HKFA Cinema. Photo shows a film still of "Bride Hunter" (1961). (Courtesy of Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd.) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will launch the screening programme entitled "Gems of Chinese Opera Film" from August 16 to September 20, featuring four classic Chinese opera films from the 1950s and 1960s at the HKFA Cinema. Photo shows a film still of "The Lost Kite" (1957) (2K Digitised Version). Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will launch the screening programme entitled "Gems of Chinese Opera Film" from August 16 to September 20, featuring four classic Chinese opera films from the 1950s and 1960s at the HKFA Cinema. Photo shows a film still of "Dream of the Red Chamber" (1962). (Courtesy of Sil-Metropole Organisation Ltd.) Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SED attends seminar on enhancing basic research in higher education institutions

The Secretary for Education, Dr Choi Yuk-lin, today (July 13) attended a seminar on enhancing basic research in higher education institutions in Beijing. She elaborated on the policy measures by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government to fully support the sustainable development of the local basic research ecosystem. She also put forward proposals on further deepening co-operation between higher education institutions in Hong Kong and the Mainland in the field of basic research.

Higher education institutions play a pivotal role in advancing the country's strategy of invigorating the country through science and education. Meanwhile, possessing robust strengths in basic research, the HKSAR Government has been working closely with the University Grants Committee (UGC) and the Research Grants Council (RGC) to provide comprehensive support for the development of the basic research ecosystem.

Speaking at the conference, Dr Choi said that in terms of strengthening investment in scientific research and deepening collaborative innovation among industries, universities, and research institutes, the Government has continuously expanded the scale of research funding. A new round of the Research Matching Grant Scheme with a funding of $1.5 billion has been launched. Through the General Research Fund and the Early Career Scheme, nearly 1 500 basic research projects are being funded in the current academic year. Meanwhile, the RGC provides the Collaborative Research Fund and the Research Impact Fund to promote interdisciplinary and collaborative research across various sectors. In addition, the UGC is conducting the Research Assessment Exercise 2026 to assess research outputs in accordance with international standards.

On expanding the pool of basic research talent, the Government has progressively increased the number of UGC-funded research postgraduate places to 7 200. The quota for the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme has also been increased to 400, attracting more than 3 800 outstanding students from around the world to Hong Kong to date. The RGC also supports young scholars through various schemes under the Junior Research Fellow Scheme. Notably, the newly introduced Overseas Research Fellowship Scheme this year provides 40 slots annually to support local scholars in conducting collaborative research at top-tier overseas institutions.

"We are committed to deepening international co-operation and global engagement. Collaborative research projects between Hong Kong universities and their Mainland and overseas counterparts have increased from around 4 200 in 2014 to over 7 700 in 2025, among which collaborations with Mainland institutions and scientific research organisations have grown to over 3 900. Apart from establishing joint research schemes with France, Germany, the United States and the European Union, the RGC has also deepened co-operation with the National Natural Science Foundation of China to support key national areas such as AI, life and health, and green energy. The RGC will also host a Research Summit in December this year to further enhance Hong Kong's international academic influence," said Dr Choi.

To further strengthen co-operation in basic research between higher education institutions in the two places, Dr Choi put forward four proposals at the conference, which include enhancing the development of international academic collaboration networks between both sides, actively participating in and contributing to major national research projects, strengthening basic research collaboration between Guangdong and Hong Kong, and facilitating the mobility of scientific research personnel.

The HKSAR Government will continue to deepen collaboration within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and global innovation networks in the future, with a view to consolidating the foundation of basic research and providing solid talent support for the country's scientific and technological self-reliance, thereby contributing to the modernisation of the nation.

Dr Choi will return to Hong Kong tonight after attending the seminar.

Source: AI-found images