Hong Kong International Film Festival
The Hong Kong International Film Festival is one of Asia's oldest international film festivals. Founded in 1976, the festival features different movies and filmmakers from different countries, and takes place in Hong Kong.
HKIFF screens around 230 films from more than 60 countries in different major cultural venues across the territory every year. New films are featured as gala premieres, with the directors and cast presenting on the red carpet and meet-and-greet sessions in theatres.
History
Previously operated by Urban Council and Leisure and Cultural Services Department, from 1977 to 2001, and Hong Kong Arts Development Council, from 2002 to 2004, HKIFF was officially incorporated as an independent, charitable organisation – Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited after completing its 28th edition. The Hong Kong SAR Government has continued to subsidise the festival through venue provision and partial funding.Since 2012, HKIFF produced and premiered anthologies of short films made by well-known award winning filmmakers from Asia, such as Ann Hui, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Jia Zhangke, Brillante Mendoza, Hideo Nakata, Tsai Ming-liang, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Since 2017, HKIFF started to collaborate with Heyi Pictures to produce two feature films a year by young Chinese filmmakers that will hold their world premieres at HKIFF.
Past events
Competition
HKIFF Firebird Awards include three categories: Young Cinema Competition, Documentary Competition and Short Film Competition. The results are decided by three jury teams consisting of film industry professionals such as film critics, directors and film festival delegates. Besides Firebird Awards, HKIFF also established FIPRESCI Prize in HKIFF23 to recognize enterprising filmmakers and promotes young talent in Asian cinema. Starting from HKIFF41, Audience Choice Award is held during the film festival when the audience members who purchased tickets and festival passes could vote for their favorite films. From HKIFF43, the Young Cinema Competition was divided into "Chinese Language" and "World" sections.| Event name | Young Cinema Competition | Documentary Competition | Short Film Competition | FIPRESCI Prize | Audience Choice Award |
| HKIFF36 | Firebird Award: Song of Silence Jury Prize: The End of Puberty | Firebird Award: Jai Bhim Comrade Jury Prize: Back to the Square | Firebird Award: Muybridge's Strings Jury Prize: Everyone Says I Love You Special Mention: ORA | The Mirror Never Lies | - |
| HKIFF37 | Firebird Award: In Bloom Jury Prize: All Apologies Special Mention: Longing for the Rain | Firebird Award: Roots Jury Prize: Oh, the San Xia Special Mention: Redemption Impossible | Firebird Award: Night Shift Jury Prize: Room 606 | In Bloom | - |
| HKIFF38 | Firebird Award: Macondo Jury Prize: The Tale of Iya Special Mention: Forma | Firebird Award: My Name Is Salt Jury Prize: The Last Moose of Aoluguya Special Mention: Meat and Milk | Firebird Award: Butter Lamp Jury Prize: Cold Snap Special Mention: Symphony no.42 | 10 Minutes | - |
| HKIFF39 | Firebird Award: Sworn Virgin Jury Prize: K Special Mention: The Coffin in the Mountain | Firebird Award: I am the People Jury Prize: A Young Patriot | Firebird Award: Listen Jury Prize: A Blue Room | K | - |
| HKIFF40 | Firebird Award: Life After Life Jury Prize: Tomcat | Firebird Award: Behemoth Jury Prize: Under The Sun | Firebird Award: Batrachian's Ballad Jury Prize: Prelude to the General | The Island Funeral | - |
| HKIFF41 | Firebird Award: My Happy Family Jury Prize: Newton | Firebird Award: House in the Fields Jury Prize: Inmates | Firebird Award: Jukai Jury Prize: Ten Mornings Ten Evenings And One Horizon Special Mention: Everything | Happy Bus Day | Mad World |
| HKIFF42 | Firebird Award: Girls Always Happy Jury Prize: Daughter of Mine | Firebird Award: Of Love & Law Jury Prize: The Distant Barking of Dogs Special Mention: Mama | Firebird Award: Wicked Girl Jury Prize: The Burden | Girls Always Happy | An Elephant Sitting Still |
| HKIFF43 | Firebird Award : A First Farewell Firebird Award : You Have the Night | Firebird Award: Midnight Family Jury Prize: Advocate | Firebird Award: All These Creatures Jury Prize: The Call | The Golden-Laden Sheep and the Sacred Mountain | - |
| HKIFF44 | Firebird Award : The Cloud in Her Room Firebird Award : This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection | Firebird Award: The Painter and the Thief Jury Prize: Once You Know | Firebird Award: Genius Loci Jury Prize: Heading South | This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection | - |
| HKIFF45 | Firebird Award : The Day is Over Firebird Award : The Wasteland | Firebird Award: Mr Bachmann and His Class Jury Prize: Sabaya | Firebird Award: Motorcyclist's Happiness Won't Fit Into His Suit Jury Prize: Vadim on a Walk Special Mention: Blessed Winter | The Story of Southern Islet | - |
| HKIFF46 | Firebird Award : A New Old Play Firebird Award : Mediterranean Fever | Firebird Award: All That Breathes Jury Prize: Children of the Mist | Firebird Award: Bestia Jury Prize: The Bones Special Mention: Sideral | A New Old Play | - |
| HKIFF47 | Firebird Award : Stonewalling Firebird Award : Tótem | Firebird Award: Apolonia, Apolonia Jury Prize: The Hamlet Syndrome | Firebird Award: Bear Jury Prize: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes | Stonewalling | - |
| HKIFF48 | Firebird Award : Snow in Midsummer Firebird Award : Sons | Firebird Award: Favoriten Jury Prize: Obedience | Firebird Award: The Meatseller Jury Prize: Shrooms | A Journey in Spring |
Controversy
The Longest SummerAt the 48th Hong Kong International Film Festival, The Longest Summer, a film by director Fruit Chan, which touches on the topic of the handover of Hong Kong to the People's Republic of China in July 1997, was originally scheduled to be screened on 2 February 2024. However, the screening was abruptly cancelled after the organizer said they were unable to locate suitable copies for screening.