Singapore ETO promotes Hong Kong cinema at Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2026
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore (Singapore ETO) is supporting the Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2026, which returns to Singapore for the fifth consecutive year. The event showcases Hong Kong's vibrant culture and creativity through cinema and provides a platform for Hong Kong filmmakers and emerging talent to connect with overseas audiences and industry counterparts.
The Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2026 is being held at Shaw Theatres Lido from today (September 11) to September 13. The three-day programme features eight Hong Kong films, showcasing the diversity, creativity and vitality of Hong Kong cinema. It is organised by the Asian Film Awards Academy and co-organised by the Singapore Film Society, with support from the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Film Development Fund (FDF) and the Singapore ETO.
The Gala Presentation opened today with "Dog Day Evening", directed and written by Mak Tin-shu. The comedy, rich in dark humour, received funding support from the FDF. It follows the lead character who storms into the customer service department of a television office building to terminate his pay television subscription by taking hostages to force the staff to process his service termination application. The film was nominated for the Asian New Talent section of the Golden Goblet Awards at the 28th Shanghai International Film Festival. Director Mak and actress Rachel Leung attended the opening in Singapore and shared their experiences in filmmaking and acting with the local audience after the screening.
The Singapore ETO sponsored a reception before the opening screening. Speaking at the reception, the Director of the Singapore ETO, Ms Elsa Hung, highlighted the role of cinema in showcasing Hong Kong's culture and creativity to international audiences.
"Hong Kong has a rich cinematic heritage and our films have, over the decades, brought Hong Kong's unique stories, culture and creativity to audiences worldwide. We are delighted to support the Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation again this year and bring both established classics and exciting new works by Hong Kong filmmakers to our friends in Singapore," Ms Hung said.
"The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is committed to supporting the continued development of Hong Kong's film industry, including nurturing talent, enhancing local production, expanding markets and building audiences. By bringing Hong Kong films and filmmakers overseas, we hope to provide our film talent with greater exposure and opportunities to connect with international audiences and industry counterparts, while enabling more people to discover Hong Kong and our stories through cinema. We also look forward to fostering closer exchanges and collaboration between the film communities of Hong Kong and Singapore," she added.
This year's Gala Presentation features six recent Hong Kong productions: "Dog Day Evening", "Because of You Ka Kui", "Wakesurf Lovers", "The Dating Menu", "Gamer Girls" and "The Snowball on a Sunny Day". The films offer distinctive stories, characters and creative perspectives, covering themes ranging from youth and relationships to food and choices in life.
The programme also celebrates the enduring legacy and international influence of Hong Kong cinema with two landmark films starring Bruce Lee: "Enter the Dragon" and "The Way of the Dragon", with the latter presented in a 4K restoration. The screenings offer Singapore audiences an opportunity to revisit the two classics on the big screen.
In addition to Mak and Leung, actress Renci Yeung, who stars in "Wakesurf Lovers", and "The Dating Menu" together with Leung, is also attending this year's Gala Presentation and meeting local audiences. The three Hong Kong filmmakers took the opportunity to engage directly with audiences in Singapore, share their creative perspectives and build connections with the local film community.
Alongside the film screenings, a special talk will be held on September 13, bringing together Hong Kong director Mak and Singapore filmmaker Kelvin Sng. The two directors will discuss their creative journeys, approaches to filmmaking and experiences in bringing stories from concept to the screen, and exchange perspectives on filmmaking in Hong Kong and Singapore. The talk is open to the public free of charge, with prior registration required.
The Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation – Singapore runs until September 13. For programme details, please visit www.afa-academy.com.
Source: AI-found images
Remarks by S for S at media session on sentencing of incitement to subversion case of "Hong Kong Alliance" (with video)
Following are the remarks by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, at a media session on the sentencing of the incitement to subversion case of the "Hong Kong Alliance" this afternoon (September 11):
Secretary for Security: Regarding the case in which the "Hong Kong Alliance" (the Alliance), Lee Cheuk-yan, Ho Chun-yan and Chow Hang-tung were charged with incitement to subversion, following the conviction by the Court of First Instance on August 21, the court delivered its sentence this morning. The three defendants were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from five years and two months to seven years and three months. The Alliance was sentenced to a fine of $1,500,000.
The court ruled that the circumstances of the offences of incitement to subversion committed in this case were of a "serious nature". The sentence passed must reflect the severity to uphold the rule of law. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government considers that the sentence manifests that justice is done and safeguards the core values of Hong Kong.
First, I must reiterate that the Constitution is the fundamental law of our country. In its reasons for verdict, the court stated that the Constitution and the Basic Law together establish the constitutional order of the HKSAR, and the preamble and Article 1 of the Constitution make it clear that the leadership by the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the core and foundation of the constitutional order of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the Constitution, overthrowing or undermining the leadership status of the CPC is tantamount to overthrowing or undermining the fundamental system established by the Constitution, which is prohibited under Article 22 of the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL). No constitution of any country would allow citizens to subvert the constitutional order and the fundamental system of the country established by the constitution.
However, the objective of the Alliance was precisely to overthrow the leadership status of the CPC and the fundamental system of the PRC under the Constitution. The organisation carried out various activities in public over a long period with an intent to sow seeds of hatred against the CPC and the Central Government in Hong Kong society and incite others to subvert state power, which must be deterred in accordance with the law.
The court has reiterated in the reasons for sentence that the defendants were put on trial not because of their political ideology or their words or deeds before the HKNSL. They were convicted solely on the basis that they had committed acts in violation of the HKNSL during the charge period.
The court did not accept the defendants' claims that they did not understand the HKNSL. In fact, the defendants were well aware that their advocacy would contradict the Constitution, but still insisted on going their own way, and also encouraging others to persist.
The reasons for sentence also explicitly set out six reasons why the present case was of a "serious nature":
(1) At the material time of the case, some individuals were still unwilling to accept the exercise of sovereignty by the state over the HKSAR, nor were they willing to accept the constitutional order established by the Constitution and the Basic Law. The defendants engaged in inciting words and deeds amid a turbulent and unsettled social atmosphere, placing national security and public order at greater risk.
(2) The defendants' criminal conduct was not an isolated incident, persisting for a period of as long as 14 months;
(3) The defendants committed the offences through various activities and on various social media platforms;
(4) The defendants possessed mobilising power and influence, with the impact of their words and deeds on the general public far exceeding that of lesser-known individuals;
(5) The defendants' activities were city-wide with an extensive reach, influencing people of different age groups, and their potential harm must not be underestimated; and
(6) Despite the defendants' belief that their agenda might be in breach of the Constitution and the HKNSL, they still persistently pursued their course of conduct which was premeditated.
All defendants received a fair trial by the court without any interference, strictly in accordance with the law applicable to Hong Kong and under the safeguards of the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights. The reasons for both the verdict and the sentence handed down by the court clearly emphasised that the defendants in this case were put on trial not because of their political views or beliefs. The court would only consider the laws and evidence relevant to the case and decide whether the prosecution was able to prove the charge beyond reasonable doubt.
Safeguarding national security is an obligation of all Hong Kong citizens and the constitutional responsibility of the HKSAR. As in this case, the HKSAR Government will continue to effectively prevent, suppress and punish acts endangering national security in accordance with the law, ensuring the steadfast and successful implementation of the "one country, two systems" principle. Thank you.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)
Source: AI-found images
