Hong Kong Entertainment Expo, which pulls together the film, video, digital entertainment and music industries into one mega-event, opened here Monday.

The expo, lasting from March 21 to April 6, will arrange a serial of events including Hong Kong Filmart 2005, Hong Kong Asia Film Financing Forum, 29th Hong Kong International Film Festival, the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Digital Entertainment Excellence Awards, Hong Kong Top Sales Music Awards, Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum.

Presiding over the opening ceremony, Hong Kong acting Chief Executive Donald Tsang said the Expo showcases to the world Hong Kong's strength and achievements on this fast-moving front. It also provides tremendous business opportunities and entertainment to Hong Kong.

According to Tsang, Hong Kong people's total spending on digital game products is predicted to reach 5 billion HK dollars (641 million US dollars) a year and Hong Kong now has about 200 companies engaged in digital video game development, computer animation and digital special effects.

Leading Hong Kong film stars as Maggie Chaung, Tony Leung, Jackey Chen and Chow Yen Fat and over 1,000 celebrities from the film and television sectors attended Monday evening's opening ceremony.

In the coming two weeks, over 200 Chinese and foreign films will be shown in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Trade Development Council estimated that over 2,000 film workers, including producers, buyers may come to visit the Expo.

Tony Leung, ambassador of Hong Kong's film and entertainment industry said the Pan-Asia cooperation is the direction for future development of the film industry. People in Asian film and entertainment circle should join hands in creating more excellent artistic works.

Source: Xinhua