The first Hong Kong International Film Festival was held in 1977. This year marked its 50th iteration
1-MIN READ1-MIN ListenSCMPPublished: 3:15pm, 27 Jun 2026This article was first published on June 28, 1977.
Hongkong’s First International Film Festival got off to an impressive start last night (June 27, 1977).
It was not quite the glittering social occasion as the Cannes Film Festival and there certainly was not the profusion of topless models and eager starlets that the Mediterranean occasion produces.
But the cocktail party that opened the festival in City Hall yesterday did bring together people who intend to make Hongkong a world-famous film city.
Sir Run Run Shaw said he was honoured with the selection of Shaw Brothers’ “The Last Tempest” for screening at the festival.
But the film’s director, Mr Li Han-hsiang, felt that perhaps more Chinese films should have been selected.
