Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (May 4) that due to big waves, red flag has been hoisted at Silverstrand Beach in Sai Kung District. Beach-goers are advised not to swim at the beach.

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

Here is an item of interest to swimmers.

     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (May 4) that due to power failure, Ma On Shan Swimming Pool in Sha Tin District has been temporarily closed until further notice.

     Three charities have been issued Public Subscription Permits to hold flag sales from 7am to 12.30pm today (May 4). They are, on Hong Kong Island, End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation; in Kowloon, Operation Dawn Limited; and in the New Territories, Apostolic Faith Church of Hong Kong Limited, a spokesman for the Social Welfare Department (SWD) said.

     Arrangements have been made with the charities to help people distinguish between the three flag-selling activities.

     Information on the three flag-selling organisations on May 4 is as follows:
 

     For enquiries, please call the SWD's hotline at 2343 2255, or the designated hotline of the 1823 Call Centre at 3142 2678. Information on flag days is available at the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_whatsnew) and the GovHK portal (www.gov.hk/en/theme/fundraising/search). Permits for flag days containing contact information of the flag-selling organisations and information on the approved flag-selling activities have also been uploaded to the SWD's website (www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_controlofc/sub_recentlyap). For enquiries about detailed flag-selling arrangements, please contact the individual flag-selling organisations.

     Details of the charitable fund-raising activities covered by the Public Subscription Permit issued by the SWD have also been uploaded to the GovHK website (www.gov.hk/fundraising).

     In the case of suspected fraudulent flag day activities, people should not make any donation and should immediately report the matter to the Police, the spokesman added.

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London (London ETO) promoted Hong Kong films in the UK by sponsoring the Chinese Visual Festival (CVF) in London to hold a dedicated Hong Kong Programme between May 2 and 9 (London time).
 
     The Hong Kong Programme features four Hong Kong movies including three from acclaimed director Stanley Kwan: his latest movie "First Night Nerves" opened the Hong Kong Programme; directorial debut "Women"  (1985) and "Rouge" (1987). Mr Kwan makes his way to London to hold audience Q&A session for each screening. The Hong Kong Programme will close with the latest film "Tracey" from writer and producer Shu Kei, which he, director Jun Li and actress Jennifer Yu will attend a post-screening audience Q&A session on May 9.
 
     The Director-General of the London ETO, Priscilla To, said at the screening of "First Night Nerves" at the British Film Institute Southbank, "It is our great pleasure to once again support the CVF to showcase Hong Kong films to film lovers in London, and we are delighted to highlight the talent and creativity of our film making industry internationally. It also gives me great pleasure to welcome these acclaimed movie makers from Hong Kong to London to talk about their latest films."
 
     "Despite the fact that Hong Kong is only a small city with a population of about seven million, it is one of the world's largest film production bases. Blessed with a wealth of seasoned and new talents, Hong Kong's film industry continues to thrive."
 
     "And the Hong Kong Government is committed to supporting the industry. The Chief Executive, in her 2018 Policy Address, announced that the government would inject another HK$1 billion into the Film Development Fund. The Government strives to make optimal use of the funding to nurture local talent, enhance local production, expand markets and build audience.", Ms To added.
 
     As well as supporting the CVF, the London ETO is supporting a retrospective of the career of Hong Kong director Angie Chen at the HOME arts centre in Manchester between May 12 and 14, which will screen "I've Got the Blues" (2017), "My Name Ain't Suzie" (1985) and "This Darling Life" (2008). The first two screenings will include a post-screening audience Q&A session with Angie Chen.
 
     Further information on the Chinese Visual Festival and its Hong Kong programme: www.chinesevisualfestival.org/chinese-visual-festival-2019/hong-kong-programme/; further information on the Angie Chen retrospective: www.homemcr.org/event/angie-chen-hong-kong-film-pioneer/.

        

     The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Berlin (HKETO Berlin) continues to support young Hong Kong filmmakers by sponsoring the participation of a Hong Kong delegation in the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (ITFS) from April 30 to May 5. As a co-operation partner of the ITFS, HKETO Berlin joined hands with the Hong Kong Art Centre (HKAC) to showcase the work of Hong Kong animators in Stuttgart, Germany.
 
     The ITFS is one of the most outstanding events for animated film worldwide. The Festival presents a full, up-to-date spectrum of animated filmmaking and its intersections with visual effects, architecture, art, design, music and games. The ITFS offers a platform for directors, production companies and distributors where they can showcase their films and transmedia projects to an interested, broad audience and numerous industry representatives.
 
     The "Focus Hong Kong" features a series of Hong Kong animations: comic and animation artist Kongkee together with animation artist Wong Ping presented some of their works as part of the In Persona section on May 2. Their session was followed by Moving Tales of Hong Kong Animations showcasing a collection by seven talented Hong Kong artists presenting a look of all aspects of daily life in Hong Kong in a 70-minute tour. The comic-based performance The Fate of Assassins by Haze Tsui Ka Hei is also part of the Hong Kong programme that was curated by the HKAC.
 
     At the "Focus Hong Kong" Reception on May 2, the Director of HKETO Berlin, Mr Bill Li, highlighted the importance of the film industry for Hong Kong's development into a value-added and diversified economy. "We will promote further development of the local film industry, and nurture more talents. We also welcome film production professionals from around the world including Germany to work in Hong Kong" he said, making reference to the Talent List Hong Kong. Animators Kongkee and Wong Ping mingled with the guests to share insight into their work and to answer questions.
 
     Hong Kong is aspiring to become the arts and cultural hub in Asia. Known for its inexhaustible source of film talents, the city attracts young filmmakers and actors bringing inspirations and new ideas to enrich Hong Kong's film industry. Creative industries in general are important economic drivers for Hong Kong, enhancing the economy's innovation capacity and driving its growth in future. Hong Kong has a leading edge in key creative sectors such as film, television, music, design, architecture, advertisement, comics and animation, games and digital entertainment, printing and publishing.
 
About HKETO Berlin
 
     HKETO Berlin is the official Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government representative in commercial relations and other economic and trade matters in Germany as well as Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and Switzerland.