ENG-1968 — Page 297

PRESS, BROADCASTING AND CINEMA

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The film unit concentrated its efforts during the year on a monthly newsreel style film, Hong Kong Today. This short feature is screened regularly in up to 87 local cinemas. Other projects during the year included an agricultural instruction film, a documentary on the Yau Ma Tei Clearance, and films on the Year of the Ram, and Industrial Safety. A number of television newsclips were also issued.

Films for public exhibition within Hong Kong are subject to censorship in accordance with the law and must be viewed by the department's film censorship section, which has two theatres for this purpose.

The Design and Display section in 1968 more than doubled its production on the previous year, particularly in the field of exhibi- tions and displays. These included a display at the 14th International Conference on Social Work at Helsinki, Finland. The section also maintained a constantly changing series of window displays for the City District Offices, the Government Publications Centre at the Star Ferry Concourse and the GIS window at Beaconsfield House.

The distribution section is responsible for the distribution of all pamphlets, booklets, posters and films produced by the Government Information Services or received from the Central Office of Infor- mation in England. Last year, over one million copies of various publications were distributed both locally and overseas. In addition, 110,000 copies of posters, in connection with campaigns launched by government departments, were issued. This section also operates a film-lending library which has a stock of over 600 titles, mostly English-language 16 mm films, either supplied by the Central Office of Information or produced by the film unit. Some of these films have been dubbed in Cantonese to meet local requests. During last year, films were loaned out 5,000 times to various organizations for showing to an estimated audience of 700,000. Films with tele- vision rights were forwarded to Rediffusion and Hong Kong Tele- vision Broadcasts for screening.

Open-air film shows were given by the Government Information Services mobile film unit in resettlement estates. Special showings also continue to be held at the request of schools, kaifong associa- tions and other institutions.

An exhibitions section has been set up within the department and is now engaged in designing the Hong Kong Government