XN000022-1978-03-23 — Page 3

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 1978

FAMILY LIFE DRAMA FOCUSES ON YOUTH

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SOME OF THE TYPICAL EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS AND EXPERIENCES WHICH ARE PART-AND-PARCEL OF A YOUNGSTER'S GROWING UP PROCESS ARE PORTRAYED IN A TRUE-TO-LIFE TELEVISION DRAMA TO BE SCREENED ON THREE CHINESE CHANNELS THIS WEEK STARTING TOMORROW (FRIDAY) NIGHT.

THE PROGRAMME IS THE FOURTH EPISODE OF THE FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION DRAMA SERIES +UNDER THE SAME ROOF+ PRODUCED AS PART OF THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FAMILY AS A UNIT.

AS THE TITLE THE LOST YOUTH+ IMPLIES, THE PLOT OF THIS HALF-HOUR DRAMA CENTRES UPON THE DILEMMA AND AMBIVALENCE FACED EY A YOUNGSTER ON THE EVE OF HIS TRIP OVERSEAS TO START AFRESH

13 SOMEWHAT FRUSTRATED CAREER IN HONG KONG.

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A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY THE SCRIPT OF THIS EPISODE, LIKE THE OTHER NINE OF THE SERIES, WAS EASED UPON INFORMATION DRAWN FROM CASES HANDLED BY THE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION PROGRAMME.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID: +ALTHOUGH DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLOT APPEARS TO EVOLVE AROUND THE LEADING CHARACTER'S CHOICE OF HIS CAREER. MANY FACETS OF YOUNG PEOPLE'S EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES AND PSYCHOLOGICAL INSTABILITY DURING PUBERTY ARE ALSO DELINEATED.+

THROUGH THE REACTION OF VARIOUS CHARACTERS TOWARDS THE YOUNG MAN'S IMMINENT DEPARTURE, HE SAID THE EXTENT OF THE SACRIFICE INVOLVED IN HEADING TOWARDS A BRIGHT FUTURE AND THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES IN ADOPTING THE WRONG SET OF VALUES ARE ALSO APTLY CONVEYED.

+THE LOSS OF A DEEPLY CHERISHED TEENAGE ROMANCE, THE FEAR OF ONE'S INABILITY TO ADAPT TO A FOREIGN PHYSICAL AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT, THE SEPARATION FROM KIMS AND LONG-TIME FRIENDS ALL CONTRIBUTE TO THE SENSE OF INSECURITY, MELANCHOLY AND LONELINESS FELT EY THE 'LOST YOUTH',+ HE SAID.

AS A CONJECTURAL EPILOGUE TO THIS PORTRAYAL, THE SPOKESMAN SAID A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE, IN DISGUISE AS THE DEPARTED YOUNGSTER'S FRIENDS, JOIN IN ́A DISCUSSION TO EXPRESS THE IR PERSONAL FEELINGS.

HE EXPLAINED THAT ANY GENERALISED OR PRACTICAL SOLUTION WAS DELIBERATELY VOIDED AS THE SERIES WAS PRIMARILY AIMED AT. STIMULATING THE COMMUNITY'S AWARENESS AND CONCERN TOWARDS SITUATIONS WHICH MIGHT BE CAUSES OF SERIOUS FAMILY OR EVEN SOCIAL PROBLEMS IF EASILY DISMISSED AS MERE FACTS OF LIFE.

+AS FAR AS FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION IS CONCERNED, IN DEPTH THINKING OF PROELENS OR SITUATIONS IS IN ITSELF AN EDUCATIONAL PROCESS, + HE SAID.

+ THE LOST YOUTH+, PRODUCED BY RTHK, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR, WILL BE SCREENED ON TVE JADE TCMORROW AT 8.30 P.M. ON RTV CHANNEL I ON SATURDAY AT 7.30 P.M. AND ON CTV ON SUNDAY AT 6.00 P.M.

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