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HONG KONG URBAN COUNCIL
7. MR. MAN SAI-CHEONG asked the following question (in Cantonese):--In response to recent public demand, will the Urban Council seriously consider the desirability and explore the feasibility of setting up a Film Institute or a Film Archive (perhaps with central government funding and/or private sponsorship) to conserve and preserve films produced in Hong Kong and in conjunction with the operation and management thereof to organize and promote the appreciation of films as a mode of cultural activity?
MR. LO KING-MAN, CHAIRMAN OF THE CULTURE SELECT COMMITTEE, replied as follows (in Cantonese):-This question concerns the desirability and feasibility of setting up a Film Institute or Film Archive in Hong Kong.
To promote the appreciation of films, the Urban Council has been organizing film events as a part of its annual cultural programme. The Hong Kong International Film Festival has already established itself as a significant cultural highlight enjoying a very high reputation. Other notable events include the French, Japanese, German and British film programmes.
The setting up of a Film Institute or Film Archive would, among other benefits, enable Hong Kong to preserve its heritage in film-making by providing a repository of films of good value. However such a project is bound to be costly and complicated particularly in respect of storage problems, technical expertise on film restoration and the legal aspects of film acquisition. There is also the question, of course, as to the nature and scope of services to the wider general public such a project may provide from the stand-point of value for money and priority vis-a-vis other worthy activities.
The setting up of a Film Institute or Film Archive is worth supporting but this type of provision has wide-ranging and long-term implications not just for the film industry but also any other cultural endeavours which may be considered worth preserving and promoting in the same way, and cannot, therefore, be viewed in isolation.
Although my initial reaction is that such a project should be best taken up by central government, I will certainly request the Culture Select Committee to take a serious look at the possibility of developing this idea and, if appropriate, raise it with the appropriate branch of the Government for consideration.
MR. MAN SAI-CHEONG (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I agree that for this kind of mammoth project, it is best taken up by the central government. However, I can see that for the Space Museum which is at present under the management of the Council can also work hand in hand with other cultural activities. Actually, the idea of Film Archive or Film Institute was mooted a few years ago by senior Members and it seems that it has not been followed-up. Can the Culture Select Committee consider this matter and the Chairman of the Select Committee give us a time-table?
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MR. LO KING-MAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank Mr. MAN for raising up the matter especially its background. I think as the first step in the near future, we should look at the idea mooted in the past to see whether the former suggestion is still relevant at the present time and if it is still applicable, of course we would set up a time-table to consider the matter.
MRS. CHOW CHEUNG WAI-PING (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, I think the Council has the responsibility to help the citizens to have a strong sense of belonging to Hong Kong. So I support Mr. MAN's suggestion because educating the younger generation on the background and achievement of Hong Kong is very important. As a start in order to simplify the question, I wonder if the Culture Select Committee can consider referring the matter to the Museums Select Committee to consider the matter. I wonder if this is feasible?
MR. LO KING-MAN (in Cantonese):—Mr. Chairman, in my answer, I actually have stated that the matter is a wide-ranging one with long term implications. If we review the archive as a museum then it may have opposite effect as far as the matter of a sense of belonging is concerned. Because the cultural activities should go hand-in-hand with the daily lives of the Hong Kong people and we should not simply store the films in the museum and then take them out again in the future. I mentioned in my reply that it was related to the nature and scope of services provided to the general public because we have to see how the film institute or film archive are used. They are different from books which can be put on the shelves for public inspection. But for the storage of films, it is different because we have to use devices and to go through appropriate measures. So we have to look at the value and we have to evaluate the situation to see whether the museum approach should be adopted. All these need careful consideration. So I would like to follow Mr. MAN's second point i.e. we should look at the previous background, history and information and may be Madam CHEUNG's suggestion will be relevant in due course. However, at present I don't agree with Madam CHEUNG's view.
MRS. CHOW CHEUNG WAI-PING (in Cantonese):-Mr. Chairman, I am not sure whether this can be regarded as a supplementary question. I just would like to correct one point—I think a museum is not just for storage and it has life. Its contents should be shared by the public. After we have collected the items to be stored in the museum we should be able to lend the items to schools and community groups in order to let citizens know more. I wonder if this point can be considered?
MR. LO KING-MAN (in Cantonese):-I think we should look at this problem from different angles. I don't think the problem is so simple that a simple and fast answer can be given for the time being. I would like to reiterate the points that films which have to be shown in special time and venues, which are quite different from items put in a museum. The treatment of films is unique and requires expertise. We can't regard film archive just like a museum or culture. We have to look at the issue in a new and broad perspective.
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