[2205.12.07] ANDREW LAU SUGGESTS FLEXIBILITY IN FILM SPONSORSHIP STANDARDS

Andrew Lau was the 12th National Paralympic Games and the 9th Special Olympic Games opening ceremony director. The event was cancelled due to the Tai Po Wang Fuk Court fire, which was regrettable but he understood.
courtesy of mingpao.com

The opening ceremony of the 12th National Paralympic Games and the 9th Special Olympics, originally scheduled to be held on December 8th, was temporarily canceled due to the fire incident in Wang Fuk Court, Tai Po. The event's chief director Andrew Lau Wai Keung recently appeared on a RTHK program, spoke of the cancellation of this performance that has been prepared for nearly half a year. He also revealed that after returning to Hong Kong from Guangzhou, he went to Wang Fu Court to mourn the victims as soon as possible.

This Sunday is the polling day for the Legislative Council general election. Lau Wai Keung hoped that the new term of Members would monitor the government's policies fairly and impartially, and pay attention to livelihood issues such as prices, the elderly and students. He also pointed out that the local film industry is facing many challenges, especially in the complicated procedures for applying for the Film Development Fund, and hopes that the relevant policies can be relaxed. He suggested that the funding mechanism should be more flexible, such as allowing development fees to be approved first, so that creators have room to polish their scripts and reduce pressure. "Not everyone has an office, many people can only write scripts in tea restaurants, but even a cup of milk tea costs more than HK$ 20."

When asked when he would return to Hong Kong to make movies, Lau Wai Keung said that he is currently reading a number of scripts and hoped to support the new generation of directors by serving as a producer. He said, "Don't say that Hong Kong films have declined anymore. Actually many filmmakers are still sticking to their positions, especially young directors." He also encouraged juniors to start as screenwriters or other positions and gradually accumulate experience.