How has the local film industry been faring since taking Hollywood and European film festivals by storm last year with Wong Kar-wai's In The Mood For Love and Ang Lee's Oscar-winning Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon ?
You can get an idea by viewing the work of future film-makers being groomed at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts' (APA) School of Film and Television. Five short films - Distance Closed, Right Next To Me, All In All Is All We All Are, Out Of The Loop and Dancing Queen - directed by graduating students will be screened on Saturday night at the APA Drama Theatre.
Film critic Shu Kei, who is also the senior lecturer of film/TV directing at the faculty, said: 'As a whole, the five productions are of a good standard. You can see the directors' personalities through their productions.'
The productions include a variety of genres from drama to comedy and surreal fantasy.
Distance Closed, a 40-minute moody romance directed by Cliff Hui Kam-man, 26, tells the story of a private detective and his girlfriend. 'The hardest part is developing the idea into a complete script as there is always room for improvement,' the director and scriptwriter said.
Outstanding performances by the cast of the comedy Dancing Queen, directed by 22-year-old Chris Poon Tsz-kan, are also worth looking out for.
