'City of Life' Set to Star At Film Industry Expo in Los Angeles.

Entertainment Editors

LOS ANGELES--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Feb. 24, 2000

Hong Kong, the "City of Life," is a prime location for the

world's top movie-makers.

Regarded for decades in the international motion industry as the "Hollywood of the East," Hong Kong is ready to take on newcomers in the region to promote itself as the premier filming destination at "Locations 2000 Global Expo" at the Los Angeles Convention Center starting on Feb. 25 through Feb. 27.

The Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) is co-organizer of Hong Kong's exhibit at this major event for film industry professionals, with the full support of the Hong Kong SAR Government through the Television & Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) and the local film industry which is represented by Salon Films this year. Five-star hotel groups Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental are co-sponsors.

The exhibit highlights why Hong Kong is considered the best in the region for filming. Its state-of-the-art technical and production services including the availability of top technicians and talented extras make this cosmopolitan city the top choice for filmmakers. Most importantly, Hong Kong's strength lies in the standards of its support mechanism with regard to ground arrangements, including accommodation where a superstar's every whim is catered to.

VIP guests representing Hong Kong will be famous actress Nancy Kwan and a number of local celebrities, who have since made Hollywood their home, including John Woo, Chow Yun-Fat, Jet Lee, Peter Chan, Ronny Yu and Sammo Hung.

Literature such as the Guide to Filming in Hong Kong and the Film and Video Production Directory (both published by TELA), the "My Location" photo collection (Salon Films) and a range of general Hong Kong information will be available for distribution to delegates.

In 1955 Hollywood stars William Holden and Jennifer Jones captured the perennial tourist's image of Hong Kong in Love is a Many Splendored Thing. Five years later, Holden returned for a second film, co-starring then relative unknown Nancy Kwan, for the world-acclaimed The World of Suzie Wong.

Since the '70s not a year went by without a major film in production in Hong Kong. Martial arts movie icon Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon in 1973 and several other blockbuster films he produced after this made Hong Kong renowned throughout the world for action films. Today, Hollywood's action heroes like Jean Claude Van Damme have continued the tradition.

Local superstar and Hong Kong Tourism Ambassador Jackie Chan solidified Hong Kong's position as one of the world's leaders in action films when he chose his hometown for many of his films, his latest being Rush Hour in 1998, co-starring Chris Tucker.

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