HK needs Cine-Art, says worried founder

Hong Kong needs a cinema like Cine-Art House, its founder and former long-time manager says.

The art-house cinema, located on the ground floor of the Sun Hung Kai Centre in Wan Chai, will have to relocate or close if it fails to negotiate a new lease with its landlord, Sun Hung Kai Properties, by the end of this year.

Arts Development Council chairman Ma Fung-kwok says he has a personal affection for the niche cinema.

Mr Ma was once a general manager of Sil-Metropole Organisation, which operates the cinema. 'Hong Kong can support a cinema for alternative films,' he said. 'I will really regret it if it closes down.'

He said the cinema made a profit every year from 1986 until he quit the company in 1992.

'The company originally planned to use the cinema as a base for screening mainland films, but I suggested screening both mainland and arts films from overseas countries,' he said.