Part 2: Genres ‧ Regions ‧ Culture features three segments: ‘Genres and Art', ‘Transcending Cultures' and ‘Rethinking Research'.

Whether it was before or after the Japanese occupation, threat and trauma inflicted by war were the catalysts of many Hong Kong films that responded to the atmosphere of the era as well as offered comfort to the people. Among them, there were passionate and rousing national defence films that demonstrated national pride; and numerous films ranging from musicals, martial arts, fantasy and satirical comedies that provided an emotional outlet for the public. These productions oscillate between quality and quantity, as well as mainstream and artistic sensibilities. Such breadth of spectrum illustrates the development potential of Hong Kong cinema in this era. 

At the time, the Hong Kong film industry had close ties with Mainland and overseas Chinese film industries, attracting talents, funding and innovative thinking, greatly helping the local industry to develop rapidly. While taking on these new ideas and cultures, Hong Kong films were exported to overseas markets. The demand for international distribution showed the globality of Hong Kong films, as well as their cross-territory and cross-cultural impact. The network established back then enabled the Archive to find precious film prints and relevant materials scattered around the world many decades later. With proper conservation and compilation, today's scholars and researchers have been able to turn a new page in the study of Hong Kong films of the 1930s and 1940s.

216 pages. Published in 2022. Free download. (Edited by Kwok Ching-ling and May Ng)

Download Exploring Hong Kong Films of the 1930s and 1940s　Part 2: Genres · Regions · Culture (English edition) 
(PDF format, about 10.4MB)

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Click here to watch the videos of the ‘From Silent to Sound—Hong Kong Films of the 1930s and 1940s' symposium.