Local Premiere of "Odium Zero" Set for Special Screenings in Hong Kong

Local premiere of animation "Odium Zero" supported by CCIDA held

The local premiere of the original animation "Odium Zero", subsidised by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, was held today (November 3). The screening featured the 30-minute extended cut of "Episode 1: The Ash Fall", which will commence its special screenings at selected cinemas in Hong Kong from November 7.

Speaking at the premiere, the Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, Miss Drew Lai, remarked that the successful launch of "Odium Zero" demonstrates a positive result borne out of the efforts of Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Regionin promoting the development of the creative industries. CCIDA will continue to support local creators in developing more cartoon and animation intellectual properties (IPs) that have competitiveness in the international market through diversified support schemes, as well as assisting the industry in participating in global film festivals and trade platforms, thereby promoting IP transactions and cross-sectoral collaborations.

"Odium Zero" is one of the outstanding works supported by CCIDA's 3rd Future Animation - AI-assisted Animation Production Support Scheme. Written and directed by James Hung, executive produced by Jacky Chu, and produced by ORINPIX Studios Limited, the animation tells the story of an apocalypse triggered by lies. By combining traditional film and television production skills with the martial arts choreography of Hong Kong action films, science-fiction elements and cutting-edge technology, the creative team has successfully created an animated work with distinctive local cultural characteristics.

Earlier this year, the work had its global launch at Hong Kong Comic Con 2026, was screened at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, and was successfully shortlisted for the 22nd Chinese American Film Festival in Los Angeles. The creative team also set up a local pop-up store last month to promote the work and its IP-related merchandise.

For more information about the 3rd Future Animation - AI-Assisted Animation Production Support Scheme, please visit

futureanimation.com.hk/en/home-en.

The local premiere of the original animation "Odium Zero", subsidised by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, was held today (November 3). Photo shows the creative team of "Odium Zero" interacting with the audience in a post-screening sharing session. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The local premiere of the original animation "Odium Zero" subsidised by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, was held today (November 3). Photo shows Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries, Miss Drew Lai (second right), and the creative team of "Odium Zero" attending the premiere. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Government welcomes passage of Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework and Amended Common Reporting Standard) Bill 2026

The Government welcomed the passage of the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework and Amended Common Reporting Standard) Bill 2026 by the Legislative Council today (November 4) to implement in Hong Kong the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) and the latest amendments to the Common Reporting Standard (amended CRS) developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

In light of the rapid development of digital asset markets in recent years, the OECD published CARF in 2023 to provide for the automatic exchange of tax information on crypto-asset transactions with partner jurisdictions on an annual basis, and amended the CRS to cover digital financial products and enhance the requirements regarding reporting and due diligence.

The Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, Mr Christopher Hui, said, "Hong Kong has been supporting international efforts in enhancing tax transparency and combatting cross-border tax evasion. Implementing the latest international standards for automatic exchange of information in tax matters is crucial to maintaining Hong Kong's reputation as an international financial and commercial centre. Aligning with the latest international standards will reinforce the confidence of crypto-asset service providers, financial institutions and digital asset users in operating and making long-term investments in Hong Kong."

CARF will be implemented in Hong Kong next year when relevant service providers will be required to collect the information specified under the framework for the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) to exchange with partner jurisdictions starting from 2028. The amended CRS will also take effect in 2028, and the IRD will automatically exchange financial account information with suitable partners in accordance with the new standard starting from 2029. Hong Kong will conduct information exchanges on a reciprocal basis and on the premise of data confidentiality and security.

To assist the industry in adapting to the new requirements and to enhance tax certainty, the IRD will issue relevant guidance and has set up a dedicated team to provide technical support to the industry and address their enquiries.

Since 2018, Hong Kong has been conducting automatic exchange of financial account information with partner jurisdictions annually in accordance with the CRS developed by the OECD, assisting relevant tax authorities to detect and combat tax evasion.

Source: AI-found images