ENG-2003 — Page 480

RECREATION, SPORT AND THE ARTS

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Festivals, the department staged spectacular lantern displays at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza to promote traditional Chinese culture among tourists and local residents. Thematic programmes such as the Concert in the Park and the Asian Ethnic Cultural Programmes drew an enthusiastic response from local people and tourists as well as Asian nationals living in Hong Kong.

Arts Education and Audience-building Projects

The LCSD places emphasis on promoting and increasing public access to the arts. through educational and audience-building programmes.

During the year, the department held a total of 812 arts education and audience- building activities. The 'School Culture Day' Scheme mobilised schools to bring their students to the department's performing venues, museums and libraries during school hours. The 'School Arts Animateur' Scheme sought collaboration with local performing arts groups to offer arts training programmes at schools.

Arts education and audience-building activities organised for the community included the 'Artist-in-residence' Scheme which offered workshops and arts training programmes at performing venues, the 'Community Cultural Ambassador' Scheme which reached out to the public and the 'District Cantonese Opera Parade' organised to promote Cantonese opera at the community level.

The 'Cultural Services Volunteers' Scheme, well into its second year, encouraged members of the public to make better use of their leisure time to perform voluntary work in promoting arts and culture. Some 1 800 volunteers were recruited under the scheme.

Hong Kong International Film Festival

Presented by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and sponsored by the LCSD, the 27th Hong Kong International Film Festival offered a wide range of programmes. The highlights of the 16-day festival included retrospectives on local film-maker Jeff Lau and overseas directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne and Marco Bellocchio; a tribute to Ozu Yasujiro in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of his birth; and The Direct Cinema of Rob Nilsson, about his experimental Direct Action Cinema. The Hong Kong Film Archive, which organised the retrospective section, contributed Shaws on Screen. In addition to the FIPRESCI (International Film Critics Federation) Award, three international competitions were introduced for the first time: Firebird Awards for Young Cinema, Asian DV Competition and Humanitarian Awards for Documentaries.

Altogether, 330 films from over 40 countries were showcased under special topics such as Directors in Focus, Indie Power and Hong Kong Panorama (2002-03). Seminars, forums and exhibitions were also organised.

Hong Kong Independent Short Film and Video Awards

This annual competition, organised by the Hong Kong Arts Centre and sponsored by the LCSD, aims to encourage creative non-commercial independent productions of short film and video as well as to promote public interest in film and video as an artistic and expressive media. Activities included screenings, workshops and community programmes.

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