[E-Daily Reporter LEE YUN-JEONG ] The “Hong Kong Night” event, co-hosted by the Asia Film Awards Academy (AFAA) and the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), was held on the 9th at the Paradise Hotel in Busan. Film industry professionals and actors from South Korea and Hong Kong attended the event to introduce their works and discuss ways to foster exchange within the film industry.

This event was organized with support from the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) and the Film Development Fund (FDF) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, and was sponsored by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Tokyo and the Hong Kong Trade Development Council.
Attendees included Park Kwang-soo, Chairman of the Busan International Film Festival; Drew Lai, Commissioner for Cultural and Creative Industries; Josh Lin, Executive Director of the Asia Film Awards Academy; as well as Hong Kong filmmakers such as Fala Chen, Yang Lewen, Hedwig Tam, Maggie Shu, Nancy Sit, Jonathan Wong, and Derek Chang. Director Zhang Yimou and actor Son Seok-gu also attended the event.
Pala Chen, a promotional ambassador and jury member for the “International Film Creation Camp,” emphasized the importance of preserving local languages and cultural characteristics as Hong Kong cinema expands overseas. She said, “The more concrete the story is and the more it captures Hong Kong’s unique character, the more it can move the audience.”
The event also featured the film “Dead End,” the winner in the higher education institution category of the 7th “First Feature Film Production Support Program.” The film was invited to the “Vision-Asia” section of the Busan International Film Festival and had its world premiere on the 10th.
Director Isabella Lam Lok-han and lead actors Yang Le-yuan, Hedwig Tam, and Maggie Xu discussed the film’s development and production process at the event. Director Lam Lok-han said, “It is a great honor to present my first feature film at an international film festival.”
Yang Lewen mentioned that the ending was not yet finalized when she first received the script, explaining, “I was drawn to the mysterious plot development where the ending was unknown, which is why I decided to take the role.” She added that portraying a character with such intense emotional shifts was a challenge.
In the film, Hedwig Tam plays the protagonist’s wife, while Maggie Shu portrays his mother. The story follows a once-peaceful family whose daily life is shaken by the appearance of a mysterious boy, leading to growing suspicion among family members. Maggie Shu said she was impressed by the director’s passion, which led her to accept the role, and that she wanted to show her support for Hong Kong cinema through this project.
Veteran Hong Kong actress Nancy Sit and singer-songwriter Jonathan Wong introduced their new film, “Rags 2 Richmond.” Nancy Sit said it was meaningful to sing “Like I Do” in the film and showcase her signature dance move, the “cross step.” Jonathan Wong expressed his gratitude to senior filmmakers such as Nancy Sit and Eric Chang for supporting his musical film project and expressed his commitment to carrying on Hong Kong’s film culture.
The annual “Hong Kong Night” is a networking event that brings together key figures from the Asian film industry. It continues to play a role in expanding collaboration and exchange among filmmakers from various countries, including Hong Kong and South Korea, and in supporting the international expansion of Hong Kong films and emerging filmmakers.