Hong Kong cinema in trouble

Total box office revenue from Hong Kong films in 2024 was only HK$1.34 billion, the lowest in nearly 13 years. Ten cinemas have closed permanently, leaving 55 in operation. Meanwhile, Hong Kong cinema has been virtually absent from international film festivals in recent years. Film production has dropped dramatically, with only 11 Hong Kong films being shot in 2024.

Experts say that the loss of movie-going habits is making it difficult for the industry to generate box office revenue. “If box office revenue remains low, theater operators will struggle, leading to more theater closures,” said Yuan Yanwen, CEO of Emperor Cinemas Group.

“In a difficult economic environment, investors are cautious in choosing suitable projects, just like audiences are picky about what to watch in theaters,” said Tin Kai-man, former chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers. In fact, many sources of investment for Hong Kong films have been disrupted, leading to a gloomy film production situation. Director Lau Kwan-wai said that Hong Kong cinema has faced many financial difficulties in recent years. Hong Kong films now only have a budget of about 10 million Hong Kong dollars, making it difficult to balance production expenses. Therefore, films are only small in scale, “tightening their belts” in many ways, so the quality of the films is also affected. Sharing the same view, producer Dang Tu-tue said: “When the budget is limited, the quality of the film can be affected, leading to low ratings from the audience and no profit. When the film does not make money, no one wants to invest. That creates a vicious circle of difficulties in the film industry.”

"The Sparring Partner" brought director Ha Tuoc Thien the Kim Tuong Award in 2023.

Faced with this reality, many veteran filmmakers have left the industry or struggled to make a living in other jobs to maintain their passion for filmmaking. Director Ho Tuoc Thien, who has won many international awards for Hong Kong cinema in recent years, is also facing many difficulties in film production. Ha Tuoc Thien's new film project cannot be produced. The director said that after the COVID-19 pandemic, convincing investors to undertake high-risk expenses such as film production in the current economic stagnation is even more difficult. To have funds to make films, Ha Tuoc Thien had to switch from being a director to being a TV actor, participating in reality shows. Meanwhile, cameraman Xu Kien Hy has switched from film production to filming TV series, commercials and YouTube videos , and even working as an Uber driver.

Producer Chan Lo-Chiu, founder of production company Entertaining Power, said investors are more cautious and calculating. Films also have limits, such as Hong Kong films with a basic production budget of HK$8-25 million, with no more than HK$60 million. Film projects are vetted more strictly, with most selected from a list of projects funded by the government under the Film Production Grant Scheme.

To support production output, the Hong Kong Film Development Council plays a central role in providing funding. The latest funding programme is the First Feature Film Initiative (FFFI), which includes six projects. Each project receives funding of HK$5-8 million. However, according to filmmakers and producers, the application review process takes four to six months. As a result, many Hong Kong filmmakers have either given up or switched to co-productions with China or Hollywood. Hong Kong’s domestic film industry has gradually disappeared.

BAO LAM ( Synthesized from Hongkong Free Press, Screen Daily)

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/dien-anh-hong-kong-chim-trong-kho-khan-a190052.html