Hong Kong International Film Festival
The Hong Kong International Film Festival is one of Asia’s oldest international film festival. Founded in 1976, the festival features different movies, filmmakers from different countries 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, Kurosawa Kiyoshi, Jia Zhangke, Brillante Mendoza, Nakata Hideo, 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
| Event name | Date | Ambassador | Opening Film | Closing Film |
| HKIFF1 | 27 June - 10 July 1977 | Italy: Year One | A Touch of Zen | |
| HKIFF2 | 26 June - 9 July 1978 | Raise Ravens The Seagull | ||
| HKIFF3 | 25 June - 8 July 1979 | Raining in the Mountain | ||
| HKIFF4 | 3 - 18 April 1980 | American Gigolo | ||
| HKIFF5 | 9 - 24 April 1981 | Child of the Sun The Uprising | ||
| HKIFF6 | 1-16 April 1982 | Circle of Deceit Street Music Muddy River | ||
| HKIFF7 | 24 March - 8 April 1983 | Passion Moonlighting Son of the North East | ||
| HKIFF8 | 12-27 April 1984 | The King of Comedy Carmen Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence | ||
| HKIFF9 | 29 March - 13 April 1985 | Full Moon in Paris Paris Texas Mac Arthurs Children | Love on the Ground | |
| HKIFF10 | 27 March - 11 April 1986 | Ping Pong Ran Insignificance | The Insomniac on the Bridge | |
| HKIFF11 | 10-25 April 1987 | The Green Ray To Sleep So As To Dream The Sacrifice | Document: Fanny and Alexander The Stand-in | |
| HKIFF12 | 31 March - 15 April 1988 | Les Affaires Publiques Yeelen Goodbye, Children | Wings of Desire Red Sorghum | |
| HKIFF13 | 23 March - 7 April 1989 | Ashik Kerib Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Pellethe Conqueror | Betrayed | |
| HKIFF14 | 6 - 21 April 1990 | A Terra-Cotta Warrior | Song of the Exile | |
| HKIFF15 | 28 March - 12 April 1991 | My American Grandson | ||
| HKIFF16 | 10 - 25 April 1992 | Ripples Across Stagnant Water High Heels | King of Chess | |
| HKIFF17 | 8 - 23 April 1993 | For Fun Opening Night | The Wedding Banquet | |
| HKIFF18 | 25 March - 9 April 1994 | |||
| HKIFF19 | 7 - 22 April 1995 | In the Heat of the Sun Summer Snow | One and a Half Burnt by the Sun | |
| HKIFF20 | 25 March - 9 April 1996 | Hu Du Men From Dusk Till Dawn | The King of Masks Mahjong | |
| HKIFF21 | 25 March - 9 April 1997 | Kitchen The River | The Valiant Ones | |
| HKIFF22 | 3 - 18 April 1998 | Beast Cop Dragon Inn | Sweet Degeneration | |
| HKIFF23 | 31 March - 15 April 1999 | Ordinary Heroes Where a Good Man Goes | Mr Zhao Crazy English | |
| HKIFF24 | 12 - 27 April 2000 | Spacked Out The Million Dollar Hotel | A Chance to Die Durian Durian | |
| HKIFF25 | 6 - 21 April 2001 | Penoy Pavilion Mortal Transfer | Yi Yi | |
| HKIFF26 | 27 March - 7 April 2002 | Hollywood Hong Kong Heaven | What Time is it There? | |
| HKIFF27 | 8 - 23 April 2003 | SHINE | The Twilight Samurai PTU | Cala, My Dog! Adaptation |
| HKIFF28 | 6 - 21 April 2004 | Baober in Love Jade Goddess of Mercy | Goodbye, Dragon Inn Not on the Lips | |
| HKIFF29 | 22 March - 6 April 2005 | Andy Lau | Peacock The Hidden Blade | The World Words in Blue |
| HKIFF30 | 4 - 19 April 2006 | Andy Lau | Election 2 Isabella | Snow Cake Candy |
| HKIFF31 | 10 March - 11 April 2007 | Eye in the Sky I am a Cyborg, but that's OK | ||
| HKIFF32 | 17 March - 6 April 2008 | Sammi Cheng | Soul of a Demon | Shine a Light Coffee or Tea |
| HKIFF33 | 22 March - 13 April 2009 | Karen Mok | Night and Fog Shinjuku Incident | 24 City |
| HKIFF34 | 18 March - 6 April 2010 | - | Crossing Hennessy Like a Dream | Amphetamine Ex |
| HKIFF35 | 20 March - 5 April 2011 | Miriam Yeung | Don't Go Breaking My Heart Quattro Hong Kong 2 | |
| HKIFF36 | 21 March - 5 April 2012 | Miriam Yeung | Love in the Buff | White Deer Plain |
| HKIFF37 | 17 March - 2 April 2013 | Miriam Yeung | Closed Curtain | |
| HKIFF38 | 24 March - 7 April 2014 | Louis Koo | Aberdeen The Midnight After | That Demon Within |
| HKIFF39 | 23 March - 6 April 2015 | Louis Koo | Murmur of the Hearts | Port of Call |
| HKIFF40 | 21 March - 4 April 2016 | Louis Koo | Chongqing Hot Pot Trivisa | Creepy |
| HKIFF41 | 11 - 25 April 2017 | Louis Koo | Love Off the Cuff | mon mon mon MONSTERS |
| HKIFF42 | 19 March - 5 April 2018 | Louis Koo | Omotenashi Xiao Mei | What a Wonderful Family! 3: My Wife, My Life |
| HKIFF43 | 18 March - 1 April 2019 | Aaron Kwok | Bodies at Rest | By the Grace of God |
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 |
| 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 | - |