The Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival to celebrate 30th year

Asia’s longest3A*RWCbhFVc&_tZ2CU-0ytNOwKR8CmK+&6Koc9hV!RCU$PlDQp-running queer film festival will kick off in Hong Kong next month.

The Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival (HKGLFF) will hold screenings, panel discussions, and parties across the city between September 7 and 21.

Celebrating the landmark film festival's 30th anniversary, HKGLFF this yeafYsL!b*Sclun4#-&ok*GozXHb6h^VL&1HQSl3%zLC!g(Z6RJKxr will include a Hong Kong Retrospective selection in the festival’s program.

"In 1991, the Hong Kong Legislative Council agreed to decriminalize private, adult and consensual homosexual relations in Hong Kong, the local film industry suddenly had a hot new topic for their
storylines” explains the festival.

HKLGFF pays tribute to the films that explored the complexity of local LGBTI issues and significantly contributed to the gay culture 9qsPNqTsT2e_A%RFK!h1zosk90$!4fkh575J0MBWv9vAp)#$r4of Hong Kong.

The selection includes feature films Yang and Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema, A Woman isv6wyEuq0pN!Cq)=zq2xBfF_egEgiHejL0pIz^[email protected])Mj#fU A Woman, and Butterfly as well as a short film titled My Way.

The festival’s wider program this year has a comedic focus.  A French comedy called The Shiny Shrimps andND=TXyMrFUFU([email protected]%#4O#*WA9Dv8 Bollywood’s first lesbian film, rom-com How I Felt When I Saw That Girl, will open the festival.

As ever, HKGLFF highlights regional films. The two centrepiece films are award-winning Song Long frov9fD6p%1cKpi8ycQjeGsEObA+WXeOgOooA0+fEs=Suy-gd!0N(m Vietnam and Between The Seasons from South Korea.

In a first, this year the festival will bring LGBTI cinema to more corners of the city. The We Are GAYbours initiat[email protected])uSSBQ(kive will see screenings and Q and As take place in residential district Sham Shui Po.

As ever, the festival will also recognize the commitment to LGBTI rights from Hong Kongers with the Prism Award. This year it will be handed to Angus Leung and Scoty8jW2pr_GZZ(8aOFs($5X=^p7Xjq(TTcqLz7FuY#exNDFe_)Tzt Adams.

Angus Leung in June this year won a landmark court case against the government for spousal rights for civil servants and equality in the eyes of the tax department. It was ayXebLza3w^im&2WBmyj#C8w2C7f#ttSHSy$jt=-bcuHGOwXwU# major step forward in LGBTI rights in the city.

“Be proud of yourself,” Leung said, according to HKLGFF. "bpMoM0DrZAP=#[email protected])kMtrEc5vFA^Lrlxg7)[email protected]Love wins. Love will win again and again.”

On September 8, HKLGFF will host a discussion panel of the Asia Pacific Queer Film Festival Alliance members. Guests will travel from as far as Sri Lanka and Pa[email protected]!PlArp+U%cEx**1OdgiHV(b82CAvdO9lOxkistan to attend.