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A feast for the eyes

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The 33rd Hong Kong International Film Festival will feature more than 250 entries from 55 countries, with 50 of them being world or Asian premieres.

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The extravaganza, which will be held from March 22 to April 13, is one of the biggest cultural events in Hong Kong. It is expected to attract more than 580,000 movie fans.

The festival is scheduled to kick off with two highly anticipated films by acclaimed local directors Derek Yee Tung-sing and Ann Hui On-wah. Both films deal with controversial topics and give the audience a glimpse into the lives of the underprivileged. Yee's Shinjuku Incident stars martial arts king Jackie Chan and local heart-throb Daniel Wu Yin-cho. The category III film revolves around illegal Chinese workers in Japan, and their struggle for survival in a world of poverty and gang violence.

Hui's Night and Fog is a follow-up to last year's well-received feature, The Way We Were, which portrays Tin Shui Wai as a harmonious community.

In the sequel, the director looks at the darker side of the town, labelled the City of Sadness. Night and Fog is based on a real-life tragedy in which a man committed suicide after killing his wife and two daughters.

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Jia Zhangke's 24 City will bring the curtain down on the three-week-long film showcase. Nominated for the Golden Palm - the highest prize at the Cannes Film Festival - 24 City redefined the art of documentary filmmaking. Jia flawlessly switches between interviews with factory employees and actors to bring viewers a taste of life at a former aviation engine manufacturing complex.

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