HKETO hosts business lunch in honor of Director John Woo

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October 12, 2009 - Ms. Monica Chen, Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETO), hosted a business lunch between internationally-renowned Hong Kong director John Woo and prominent film industry people in New York. HKETO also organized a roundtable media session to help promote in the United States of American Woo’s first Chinese-language feature -Red Cliff- in more than 15 years.

After a very successful U.S. premier of his new film “Red Cliff” at the Chicago International Film Festival, the famous Hong Kong director was in New York on a short stay for his new film will be released commercially in the U.S. in November.

Held in honor of Woo’s achievement and to promote Hong Kong films, the lunch which was attended by Richard Pena, Program Director of the Film Society of the Lincoln Center as well as Grady Hendrix and Daniel Craft, co-founders of the New York Asian International Film Festival.

Ms Chen said, “The hard work and talent of Director Woo, together with that of the many Hong Kong actors, directors, producers, and cinematographers have propelled Hong Kong films to international recognition and acclaim. In the past ten years alone, Hong Kong film talents have won over 300 international awards.

The success of these Hong Kong films, ranging from crime thrillers to martial arts epics to art-house films, epitomizes the creative spirit and imaginative expression of the unique ‘East meets West’ culture that distinguishes Hong Kong as Asia’s world city.”

Prior to the lunch, Director Woo attended a Chinese media roundtable, organized by HKETO, and discussed the making of Red Cliff. The film will be shown in a director-cut 2.5-hour version in the United States on November 20. In the evening, a special screening of the film was arranged at the Asia Society.

To promote the Hong Kong film industry, HKETO, by working with various partners, presented Hong Kong films in a Hong Kong film festival in Chicago in May, New York International Asian Film Festival in June, Chicago International Film Festival and Atlanta Asian Film Festival in October. More exposures are expected in Boston in the later part of 2009.