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See Chen Kaige and Juliette Binoche at the Hong Kong International Film Festival

The city’s flagship cinema event marks its Golden Jubilee with a global slate, major auteurs and a spotlight on Asian storytelling

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Yeo Yann Yann and Andi Lim in a still from We Are All Strangers, directed by Anthony Chen. Photo: courtesy Giraffe Pictures.
Gavin Yeung

After the dust settles following the March madness of Art Basel, Art Central and the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) is due to celebrate its semi-centennial this April – a milestone that serves as a retrospective of the city’s storied cinematic output.

Despite arriving at a difficult time for the local film industry, amid a slew of cinema closures, the 50th edition, which runs from April 1 to 12, strikes a hopeful note with a strong showing of the latest from the art-house circuit.

The festival’s opening and closing selections reflect a focus on high-calibre Asian auteurs. The final instalment of his “Growing Up” trilogy, Anthony Chen’s We Are All Strangers opens the proceedings on April 1, having had the honour of being the first Singaporean feature in the main competition at the Berlin International Film Festival. Chen’s exploration of non-biological familial bonds offers a sober, disciplined start to the Golden Jubilee.
A scene from Philip Yung Tsz-kwong’s Cyclone, which wraps up the festival. Photo: courtesy HKIFF
A scene from Philip Yung Tsz-kwong’s Cyclone, which wraps up the festival. Photo: courtesy HKIFF
In contrast, the festival concludes on April 12 with Philip Yung Tsz-kwong’s Cyclone. Following its world premiere in Rotterdam, the film provides a localised lens on transgender identity and social marginalisation.

Between these two bookends, film-goers will be treated to a whopping selection of 215 films from 71 countries and regions, including 11 world premieres and 49 Asian premieres.

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