The local premiere of a new film partly financed by the Film Production Financing Scheme under the Film Development Fund (FDF), "The Sparring Partner", will be held this evening (October 18).
"The Sparring Partner" is produced by Philip Yung and is the first film directed by Ho Cheuk-tin. The film stars Yeung Wai-lun, Mak Pui-tung, Louisa So and Michael Chow, with special appearances by Jan Lamb and Gloria Yip. The story is adapted from a sensational 2013 real-life Hong Kong case, in which a son partners with his friend to murder and dismember his parents. Both of the defendants do not plead guilty and they play a devil and idiot game in the court, resulting in heated debates on law and justice among the jurors.
The Chairman of the Hong Kong Film Development Council, Dr Wilfred Wong, said, "'The Sparring Partner' references a shocking real-life court case. The perplexity of the case and the superb acting skills of the actors directly grip the hearts of audiences. The wrestling and debates among the jurors make the part on the court hearing particularly fascinating."
Dr Wong expressed the hope that the Government will continue to increase the number of local film productions and nurture young film talents through the FDF in order to support the long-term development of the local film industry.
Since 2005, the Government has injected a total of $1.54 billion into the FDF to support a number of film production projects and other film-related projects. Since 2007, the FDF has financed 57 film projects, involving total funding of about $216.57 million. The production budget for "The Sparring Partner" was around $10 million, with government finance amounting to about $2.5 million.