Die-hard fans of comics and animation will enjoy a busy week from July 15 with three of the eight core programmes for Hong Kong Ani-Com Summer 2013 open for free admission.
Hong Kong Ani-Com Summer 2013 is a signature event of the "Hong Kong: Our Home" Campaign.
The three core programmes are the Opening Events of Comix Home Base (CHB), the roving exhibition "The Greatest Animated Commercials from Hong Kong", and the International Animation Festival 2013.
CHB, set to open on the auspicious date of July 18, is the first arts and cultural centre dedicated to the promotion of comic and animation culture in Hong Kong. The facilities are managed by the Hong Kong Arts Centre.
Located in Wan Chai, CHB will serve as a hub by curating and organising comic- and animation-related programmes. Its other mission is to promote both local and overseas comic and animation creations through education, exhibitions and documentation.
In its first month, CHB will present a showcase entitled "Desires of Comics Artists", featuring a collection of creative works by local comic artists and animators, as well as the history and development of local comics since the 1960s.
CHB has a collection of several thousand popular comic books by prominent local artists. It has also collected comic books from around the world.
Details on talks, workshops and exhibitions at CHB, as well as profiles of local comic artists, are available on the newly launched website at www.comixhomebase.com.hk.
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The Hong Kong Animation Filmmaker Society has organised a roving exhibition entitled "The Greatest Animated Commercials from Hong Kong", and the second stage of the exhibition will be held in the Exhibition Gallery at Sha Tin Town Hall from July 18 to 23.
About 100 commercials produced in Hong Kong in the 1960s will be showcased at the exhibition alongside 80 print advertisements.
The iconic animated commercials on display at the exhibition are both entertaining and educational, and will bring back fond memories for many of the visitors.
The schedule of the roving exhibition is available on the website
www.hkanimationfilmmakerso.blogspot.com. Admission is free.
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The International Animation Festival 2013 to be held at the Hong Kong Arts Centre from July 20 to 31 will delight film buffs of all ages.
The festival's diverse array of films will range from the Japanese "Galaxy Express 999" sci-fi trilogy about the adventures of two teenagers on a train called Galaxy Express to the popular classics "Alice in Wonderland" and "Peter Pan" and the Hong Kong favourite "Mcdull, Prince de la Bun".
A total of 25 screenings have been scheduled to feature films including German animated titles, ifva award-winning films and selected works from members of the Hong Kong Animation Filmmaker Society.
Film titles and showtimes are available on the website www.hkac.org.hk. For free admission, please register online at www.hkaconlineregistration.com.
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Another long-awaited event for the week is the opening ceremony for the "Bruce Lee: Kung Fu?Art?Life" exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum in Sha Tin on July 19.
The exhibition will open its doors to the public on July 20 and will continue for five years.
The exhibition commemorates the 40th anniversary of Bruce Lee's death. Lee, an internationally acclaimed kung fu master and movie star, left behind a legacy with his contributions to martial arts, movies, TV series and comics.
More than 600 precious relics and memorabilia items related to Bruce Lee will be on display, among which is his iconic yellow track suit.
As the exhibition is expected to attract a large number of visitors during the summer, the museum has launched an online reservation website at www.blor.lcsd.gov.hk for those booking tickets from mid-July to mid-September. Admission is free on Wednesdays.
More details about the exhibition are available at the museum's website at hk.heritage.museum.
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Parents and children are welcome to visit "Civic Education Exhibition 2013" at the Hong Kong Book Fair (booth 3B to C38 at Children's Paradise) where they can take part in games together as a family.
The exhibition will run from July 17 to 23 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Co-organised by the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education and the Home Affairs Bureau, the exhibition aims to promote the civic values of respect and inclusiveness, responsibility and love.
On July 19, a ceremony will be held at 1pm at the Children's Paradise zone. In addition to including songs and dances, the ceremony will feature TV artiste Corinna Chamberlain sharing her thoughts and views on civic values. For details of the exhibition, visit the website at www.cpce.gov.hk/eng/activity/bookfair_13.htm or call 3509 7027.
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An action-filled event suitable for the whole family will be held on July 21 at the New Territories East Footdrill, Grand Howl, Para-balloon and Flag Raising Competitions cum Fight Crime Carnival 2013 at the Hong Kong Police Tactical Unit Base in Fanling.
Admission tickets can be obtained at the New Territories East Regional Headquarters of Scout Association of Hong Kong, Law Ting Pong Scout Centre, in Tai Po. For more details, call 2667 9100.
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All these events support the "Hong Kong: Our Home" public participation campaign, which aims to inject positive energy into society, foster social cohesion and promote care, mutual help and solidarity in the community.
More than 220 Partner Organisations have so far pledged their support for the Campaign.
Altogether, the Government and Partner Organisations are organising more than 900 events/activities under the four supporting themes of the Campaign from the end of April to the end of December this year.
Full details of the Campaign can be found on the website www.hkourhome.gov.hk.
Sunday, July 14, 2013