The Film Programmes Office (FPO) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the programme "Coming of Age Fest" from September 28 to October 26, showcasing a selection of 12 films about growing up from Hong Kong and around the world at the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) and Emperor Cinemas iSQUARE, taking audiences on a voyage of self-exploration, inspiration and empowerment through the stories of film characters. "Coming of Age Fest" is one of the programmes of this year's Asia+ Festival.
 
     The selected films are presented under four sub-themes. The first one, "Pipping the Shell", includes the esteemed Iranian director Abbas Kiarostami's "Where is the Friend's House?" (1987), which portrays the innocence and kindness of children as well as their determination in the face of difficulties through the self-imposed mission of primary school boy Ahmad, who seeks to return a classmate's notebook that he has accidentally brought home. In "Orz Boyz!" (2008), two boys, with a lack of family care and believe that travelling to another dimension will free them from their turmoil, come to experience life, death and separation on their journey. "Tomboy" (2011) delves into the struggles and confusion a boyish girl faces during puberty, which leads her to conceal her biological gender.
 
     The second sub-theme, "Tripping through Growth", features "Cinema Paradiso" (1988), winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film; "Autumn Moon" (1992) (restored version), one of the HKFA's "100 Must-see Hong Kong Movies"; and renowned Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda's "I Wish" (2011). The young protagonists in these films are either on the verge of emigration, travelling alone to a foreign land, longing for the reunion of divorced parents, or inspired by a father-son-like friendship. Through their various struggles and breakthroughs, the protagonists gradually mature.
 
     Films from sub-theme "Nurture or Hinder" explore the effects of school and family on a person's growth. "The 400 Blows" (1959) brought fame to French New Wave director François Truffaut and reflects his own childhood experiences. Both "The 400 Blows" and "Kes" (1969), one of the British Film Institute's Top 100 British Films, revolve around the problem of young people growing up in families and schools devoid of love and care, facing setbacks in an unfeeling society. In "Dead Poets Society" (1989), a new teacher comes to a prestigious conservative school and leads students into the world of poetry and literature using unconventional teaching methods.
 
     The sub-theme "The Hard Side of the Youth" consists of three films that illustrate the restlessness, confusion and rebelliousness of adolescence. "Sunny" (2011), "Life of Pi" (2012), and "Better Days" (2019) that won eight Hong Kong Film Awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actress, vividly depict the unease and anxieties that adolescents face when dealing with issues of family, friendship, romance, school and their future.
 
     Some of the screenings will be accompanied by post-screening talks, hosted by directors Benny Lau and Derek Tsang, actress Wing Mo and the Acting Principal of HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity, Mr Yan Pat-to. The FPO will also hold a seminar, titled "Eternal Sunshine: Emotional Supports for the Young Ones", at the HKFA Cinema on October 6 (Sunday). The seminar will be hosted by curator Cecilia Wong with speakers including counsellor Carrie Ho, clinical psychologist Annie Ho, as well as clinical psychologist and relationship therapist Ken Fung. The post-screening talks and seminar will be conducted in Cantonese. Ticket holders of screenings with respective post-screening talks or seminar will be admitted with priority, while the remaining seats will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis with free admission. Audiences may queue at the 1/F Foyer of the HKFA or the 8/F Foyer of Emperor Cinemas iSQUARE 15 minutes before the talks or the seminar begin.
 
     All films are with Chinese and English subtitles. "Autumn Moon" is rated Category III and restricted to viewers aged 18 or above.
 
     Tickets for screenings at the HKFA priced at $70 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For screenings at Emperor Cinemas iSQUARE, tickets priced at $90 are now available at Emperor Cinemas iSQUARE, the website of Emperor Cinemas (www.emperorcinemas.com) and the Emperor Cinemas mobile app. For programme enquiries and concessionary schemes, please call 2734 2900 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/listing.html?id=63.
 
     In addition, the FPO and the Hong Kong Film Critics Society will present the programme "A Juvenile View or: How I Learnt Film Appreciation at Secondary School", offering film screenings, post-screening talks and film criticism workshops for senior secondary students to immerse themselves in fascinating films and cultivate their skills in appreciating film arts. The deadline for school applications is 6pm on October 4. For details, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/listing.html?id=64.

                        

     The Transport Department (TD) today (August 21) announced that auction of personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be held on September 8 (Sunday) in Meeting Room S421, L4, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.
 
     "A total of 240 approved PVRMs will be put up for public auction. A list of the marks has been uploaded to the department's website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html," a department spokesman said.
 
     The reserve price of each of these marks is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.
 
     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following points:
 
(1) Bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after successful bidding:
 
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser (if the purchaser and the successful bidder are different persons);
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation (if the purchaser is a body corporate); and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed. Successful bidders may also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS), but are reminded to note the maximum transfer amount in the same day of the payment card. Payment by post-dated cheque, cash, credit card or other methods will not be accepted.
 
(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the Memorandum will not be permitted.
 
(3) A PVRM can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
 
(4) The display of a PVRM on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations.
 
(5) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed.
 
(6) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the PVRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the PVRM within 12 months, allocation of the PVRM will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.
 
     "Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark. The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM. Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein. For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be sent to the TD for processing," the spokesman added.
 
     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of PVRM, which is available at the department's licensing offices or can be downloaded from its website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/pvrm_auction/index.html.

     The Transport Department (TD) today (August 21) announced that auction of personalised vehicle registration marks (PVRMs) will be held on September 8 (Sunday) in Meeting Room S421, L4, Old Wing, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai.
 
     "A total of 240 approved PVRMs will be put up for public auction. A list of the marks has been uploaded to the department's website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/index.html," a department spokesman said.
 
     The reserve price of each of these marks is $5,000. Applicants who have paid a deposit of $5,000 should also participate in the bidding (including the first bid at the reserve price). Otherwise, the PVRM concerned may be sold to another bidder at the reserve price.
 
     People who wish to participate in the bidding at the auction should take note of the following points:
 
(1) Bidders are required to produce the following documents for completion of registration and payment procedures immediately after successful bidding:
 
(i) the identity document of the successful bidder;
(ii) the identity document of the purchaser (if the purchaser and the successful bidder are different persons);
(iii) a copy of the Certificate of Incorporation (if the purchaser is a body corporate); and
(iv) a crossed cheque made payable to "The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" or "The Government of the HKSAR". For an auctioned mark paid for by cheque, the first three working days after the date of auction will be required for cheque clearance confirmation before processing of the application for mark assignment can be completed. Successful bidders may also pay through the Easy Pay System (EPS), but are reminded to note the maximum transfer amount in the same day of the payment card. Payment by post-dated cheque, cash, credit card or other methods will not be accepted.
 
(2) Purchasers must make payment of the purchase price through EPS or by crossed cheque and complete the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM immediately after the bidding. Subsequent alteration of the particulars in the Memorandum will not be permitted.
 
(3) A PVRM can only be assigned to a motor vehicle which is registered in the name of the purchaser. The Certificate of Incorporation must be produced immediately by the purchaser if a vehicle registration mark purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
 
(4) The display of a PVRM on a motor vehicle should be in compliance with the requirements stipulated in Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations.
 
(5) Any change to the arrangement of letters, numerals and blank spaces of a PVRM, i.e. single and two rows as auctioned, will not be allowed.
 
(6) The purchaser shall, within 12 months after the date of auction, apply to the Commissioner for Transport for the PVRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. If the purchaser fails to assign the PVRM within 12 months, allocation of the PVRM will be cancelled and arranged for re-allocation in accordance with the statutory provision without prior notice to the purchaser.
 
     "Upon completion of the Memorandum of Sale of PVRM, the purchaser will be issued a receipt and a Certificate of Allocation of Personalised Registration Mark. The Certificate of Allocation will serve to prove the holdership of the PVRM. Potential buyers of vehicles bearing a PVRM should check the Certificate of Allocation with the sellers and pay attention to the details therein. For transfer of vehicle ownership, this certificate together with other required documents should be sent to the TD for processing," the spokesman added.
 
     For other auction details, please refer to the Guidance Notes – Auction of PVRM, which is available at the department's licensing offices or can be downloaded from its website, www.td.gov.hk/en/public_services/vehicle_registration_mark/pvrm_auction/index.html.

     Hong Kong Customs mounted a territory-wide special enforcement operation between August 8 and 20 to combat counterfeiting activities. A total of about 5 000 suspected counterfeit goods and a batch of business-operating equipment, with a total estimated market value of about $330,000, were seized.   

     Customs earlier received information alleging that suspected counterfeit perfumes were sold or provided in the course of business by retail shops, dispensaries, and claw-machine shops. After an in-depth investigation and with the assistance of the trademark owners, Customs officers took enforcement during the abovementioned period and raided 10 shops in Mong Kok, Kwai Chung, Tsuen Wan, Tung Chung and Sai Kung. A batch of suspected counterfeit perfumes, cosmetics and skincare products, six claw-machines and three coin changing machines were seized.

     During the operation, four men and four women, aged between 20 and 46, were arrested. They comprise three persons-in-charge and five staff members of the shops. The investigation is ongoing and the likelihood of further arrests is not ruled out. In addition, samples of the suspected counterfeit goods involved in the case will be sent to the Government Laboratory for safety testing.

     Customs will continue to step up inspections and enforcement to fight against the sale of counterfeit goods and the use of counterfeit goods for the purpose of trade.

     Customs reminds consumers to procure goods at reputable shops and to check with the trademark owners or their authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt. Traders should also be cautious and prudent in merchandising since selling counterfeit goods and the possession of counterfeit goods for any purpose of trade are a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.

     Under the Trade Descriptions Ordinance, any person who sells or possesses for sale any goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

     Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

  

     A girl who went missing in Chai Wan has been located.

     Tam Lok-yiu, aged 17, went missing after she left her residence on Holy Cross Path on August 16 noon. Her family made a report to Police in Tsing Yi on the same day.

     The girl was located on Shanghai Street, Yau Ma Tei, this morning (August 21). She sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.