The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) is one of Asia's oldest international film festivals. Founded in 1976, the festival features different movies and filmmakers from different countries, and takes place in Hong Kong.
HKIFF screens around 230 films from more than 60 countries in different major cultural venues across the territory every year. New films are featured as gala premieres, with the directors and cast presenting on the red carpet and meet-and-greet sessions in theatres.
History Previously operated by Urban Council and Leisure and Cultural Services Department, from 1977 to 2001, and Hong Kong Arts Development Council, from 2002 to 2004, HKIFF was officially incorporated as an independent, charitable organisation – Hong Kong International Film Festival Society Limited after completing its 28th edition. The Hong Kong SAR Government has continued to subsidise the festival through venue provision and partial funding. Since 2012, HKIFF produced and premiered anthologies of short films made by well-known award-winning filmmakers from Asia, such as Ann Hui, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Jia Zhangke, Brillante Mendoza, Hideo Nakata, Tsai Ming-liang, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Since 2017, HKIFF started to collaborate with Heyi Pictures to produce two feature films a year by young Chinese filmmakers that will hold their world premieres at HKIFF.
Past events
+Event nameDateOpening film(s)Closing film(s)Filmmaker(s) in FocusMaster Class(es)AmbassadorHKIFF127 June - 10 July 1977Italy: Year One (dir. Roberto Rossellini)A Touch of Zen (dir. King Hu)---HKIFF226 June - 9 July 1978Raise Ravens (Cría Cuervos, dir. Carlos Saura) The Seagull (Il Gabbiano, dir. Marco Bellocchio)----HKIFF325 June - 8 July 1979Raining in the Mountain (dir. King Hu)----HKIFF43 - 18 April 1980American Gigolo (dir. Paul Schrader)----HKIFF59 - 24 April 1981Child of the Sun (dir. Kiriro Urayama)
The Uprising (dir. Peter Lilienthal)----HKIFF61-16 April 1982Circle of Deceit (dir. Volkor Schlondorff) Street Music (dir. Jenny Bowen)
Muddy River (dir. Kohei Oguri)----HKIFF724 March - 8 April 1983Passion (dir. Jean-Luc Godard) Moonlighting (dir. Jerzy Skolimowski)
Son of the North East (dir. Vichit Kounavudhi)----HKIFF812-27 April 1984The King of Comedy (dir. Martin Scorsese) Carmen (dir. Carlos Saura)
Merry Christmas Mr.Lawrence (dir. Nagisa Oshima)First Name: Carmen (dir. Jean-Luc Godard)---HKIFF929 March - 13 April 1985Full Moon in Paris (dir. Eric Rohmer) Paris Texas (dir. Wim Wenders)
Mac Arthurs Children (dir. Masahiro Shinoda)Love on the Ground (dir. Jacques Rivette)---HKIFF1027 March - 11 April 1986Ping Pong (dir. Leong Po-chih) Ran (dir. Akira Kurosawa)
Insignificance (dir. Nicolas Roeg)The Insomniac on the Bridge (dir. Raúl Ruiz)---HKIFF1110-25 April 1987The Green Ray (dir. Eric Rohmer) To Sleep So As To Dream (dir. Kaizo Hayashi)
The Sacrifice (dir. Andrei Tarkovsky)Document: Fanny and Alexander (dir. Ingmar Bergman)
The Stand-in (dir. Huang Jianxin)---HKIFF1231 March - 15 April 1988Les Affaires Publiques (dir. Robert Bresson) Yeelen (dir. Souleymane Cissé)
Goodbye, Children (dir. Louis Malle)Wings of Desire (dir. Wim Wenders) Red Sorghum (dir. Zhang Yimou)---HKIFF1323 March - 7 April 1989Ashik Kerib (dir. Dodo Abashidze and Sergei Parajanov) Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (dir. Pedro Almodovar)
Pellethe Conqueror (dir. Bille August)Betrayed (dir. Costa-Gavras)---HKIFF146 - 21 April 1990A Terra-Cotta Warrior (dir. Ching Siu-tung)Song of the Exile (dir. Ann Hui)Krzysztof Kieślowski Theo Angelopoulos
Fumio Kamei
Vasily Shukshin--HKIFF1528 March - 12 April 1991Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch (dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang)My American Grandson (dir. Ann Hui)Aki Kaurismäki Idrissa Ouédraogo--HKIFF1610 - 25 April 1992Ripples Across Stagnant Water (dir. Ling Zifeng) High Heels (dir. Pedro Almodovar)King of Chess (dirs. Yim Ho, Tsui Hark)---HKIFF178 - 23 April 1993For Fun (dir. Ning Ying) Opening Night (dir. John Cassavetes)The Wedding Banquet (dir. Ang Lee)Abbas Kiarostami--HKIFF1825 March - 9 April 1994Three Colours: Blue (dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski)Three Colours: White (dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski)Víctor Erice--HKIFF197 - 22 April 1995In the Heat of the Sun (dir. Jiang Wen) Summer Snow (dir. Ann Hui)One and a Half (dir. Lawrence Ah Mon)
Burnt by the Sun (dir. Nikita Mikhalkov)Ken Loach--HKIFF2025 March - 9 April 1996Hu Du Men (dir. Shu Kei) From Dusk Till Dawn (dir. Robert Rodriguez)The King of Masks (dir. Wu Tianming) Mahjong (dir. Edward Yang)---HKIFF2125 March - 9 April 1997Kitchen (dir. Yim Ho) The River (dir. Tsai Ming-liang)The Valiant Ones (dir. King Hu)Arturo Ripstein--HKIFF223 - 18 April 1998Beast Cop (dir. Gordon Chan) Dragon Inn (dir. King Hu)Sweet Degeneration (dir. Lin Cheng-sheng)Errol Morris Tony Gatlif--HKIFF2331 March - 15 April 1999Ordinary Heroes (dir. Ann Hui) Where a Good Man Goes (dir. Johnnie To)Mr Zhao (dir. Lü Yue) Crazy English (dir. Zhang Yuan)Johnnie To Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Walter Salles--HKIFF2412 - 27 April 2000Spacked Out (dir. Lawrence Ah Mon) The Million Dollar Hotel (dir. Wim Wenders)A Chance to Die (dir. Chen Yi-wen)
Durian Durian (dir. Fruit Chan)Otar Iosseliani--HKIFF256 - 21 April 2001Penoy Pavilion (dir. Yonfan) Mortal Transfer (dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix)Yi Yi (dir. Edward Yang)Tony Leung Chiu-wai Jean-Jacques Beineix
Darius Khondji--HKIFF2627 March - 7 April 2002Hollywood Hong Kong (dir. Fruit Chan) Heaven (dir. Tom Tykwer)What Time is it There? (dir. Tsai Ming-liang)Ann Hui--HKIFF278 - 23 April 2003The Twilight Samurai (dir. Yoji Yamada) PTU (dir. Johnnie To)Cala, My Dog! (dir. Lu Xuechang)
Adaptation (dir. Spike Jonze)Jeffrey Lau Dardenne brothers
Marco Bellocchio-SHINEHKIFF286 - 21 April 2004Baober in Love (dir. Li Shaohong) Jade Goddess of Mercy (dir. Ann Hui)Goodbye, Dragon Inn (dir. Tsai Ming-liang)
Not on the Lips (dir. Alain Resnais)William Chang Kim Ki-duk--HKIFF2922 March - 6 April 2005Peacock (dir. Gu Changwei) The Hidden Blade (dir. Yōji Yamada)The World (dir. Jia Zhangke)
Words in Blue (dir. Alain Corneau)Andy Lau-Andy LauHKIFF304 - 19 April 2006Election 2 (dir. Johnnie To) Isabella(dir. Pang Ho-cheung)Snow Cake (dir. Marc Evans)
Candy (dir. Neil Armfield)--Andy LauHKIFF3110 March - 11 April 2007Eye in the Sky (dir. Yau Nai-Hoi) I am a Cyborg, but that's OK (dir. Park Chan-wook)-Herman Yau--HKIFF3217 March - 6 April 2008Kabei - Our Mother (dir. Yoji Yamada) Soul of a Demon (dir. Chang Tso-chi)Shine a Light (dir. Martin Scorsese)
Coffee or Tea (dirs. Shu Kei, Kwan Man-hin)Eric Tsang-Sammi ChengHKIFF3322 March - 13 April 2009Night and Fog (dir. Ann Hui) Shinjuku Incident (dir. Derek Yee)24 City (dir. Jia Zhangke)--Karen MokHKIFF3418 March - 6 April 2010Crossing Hennessy (dir. Ivy Ho) Like a Dream (dir. Clara Law)Amphetamine (dir. Scud)
Ex (dir. Heiward Mak)---HKIFF3520 March - 5 April 2011Don't Go Breaking My Heart (dirs. Johnnie To, Wai Ka-fai) Quattro Hong Kong 2 (dirs. Apichatpong Weerasethakul; Brillante Mendoza; Stanley Kwan; Ho Yuhang)-Wai Ka-faiJia ZhangkeMiriam YeungHKIFF3621 March - 5 April 2012Love in the Buff (dir. Pang Ho-cheung)White Deer Plain (dir. Wang Quan'an)Peter ChanKeanu ReevesMiriam YeungHKIFF3717 March - 2 April 2013Ip Man - The Final Fight (dir. Herman Yau)Closed Curtain (dirs. Jafar Panahi, Kambuzia Partovi)Andrew LauWong Kar-waiMiriam YeungHKIFF3824 March - 7 April 2014Aberdeen (dir. Pang Ho-cheung) The Midnight After (dir. Fruit Chan)That Demon Within (dir. Dante Lam)--Louis KooHKIFF3923 March - 6 April 2015Murmur of the Hearts (dir. Sylvia Chang)Port of Call (dir. Philip Yung)Sylvia ChangPeter Greenaway Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Pedro CostaLouis KooHKIFF4021 March - 4 April 2016Chongqing Hot Pot (dir. Yang Qing) Trivisa (dirs. Frank Hui, Jevons Au, Vicky Wong)Creepy (dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa)-Béla TarrLouis KooHKIFF4111 - 25 April 2017Love Off the Cuff (dir. Pang Ho-cheung)mon mon mon MONSTERS (dir. Giddens Ko)-Olivier Assayas Agnieszka Holland
Ildikó EnyediLouis KooHKIFF4219 March - 5 April 2018Omotenashi (dir. Jay Chern) Xiao Mei (dir. Maren Hwang)What a Wonderful Family! 3: My Wife, My Life (dir. Yamada Yoji)Brigitte LinWerner Herzog Tsai Ming-liang
Kazuo HaraLouis KooHKIFF4318 March - 1 April 2019Bodies at Rest (dir. Renny Harlin)By the Grace of God (dir. François Ozon)Sammo HungLee Chang-dong Asghar Farhadi
Jiang WenAaron KwokHKIFF44CancelledKeep Rolling (dir. Man Lim-chung)
Little Big Women (dir. Joseph Hsu)The Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese (dir. Isao Yukisada)Michael Hui-Aaron KwokHKIFF451 April - 12 April 2021Septet: The Story of Hong Kong (dir. Ann Hui, Sammo Hung, Ringo Lam, Patrick Tam, Johnnie To, Tsui Hark, and Yuen Woo-ping)
Where the Wind Blows (dir. Philip Yung), later cancelledWheel of Fortune and Fantasy (dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi)Stanley KwanFrederick Wiseman Kazuo HaraAaron KwokHKIFF4615 August - 31 August 2022Where the Wind Blows (dir. Philip Yung)
Warriors of Future (dir. Ng Yuen-fai)Tori and Lokita (dirs. Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne)Sandra NgDardenne brothers Chung Mong-hongAaron Kwok HKIFF47 30 March - 10 April 2023 Mad Fate (dir. Soi Cheang) Elegies (dir. Ann Hui)Vital Sign (dir. Cheuk Wan-chi)Soi CheangTsai Ming-liangAaron Kwok HKIFF48 28 March - 8 April 2024 All Shall Be Well (dir. Ray Yeung)All the Long Nights (dir. Sho Miyake)Fruit ChanVíctor Erice Martin McDonaghKarena Lam HKIFF49 10 April - 21 April 2025 The Brightest Sun (dir. Tetsuya Nakashima) Pavane for an Infant (dir. Chong Keat Aun) Dreams (Sex Love) (dir. Dag Johan Haugerud)Louis KooAlbert Serra Wang BingAngela Yuen HKIFF50 1 April - 12 April 2026We Are All Strangers (dir. Anthony Chen) Cyclone (dir. Philip Yung)Jia ZhangkeChen Kaige Tian Zhuangzhuang
Huang Jianxin
Ildikó Enyedi
Juliette BinocheAngela Yuen Tony Wu
Competition HKIFF Firebird Awards include three categories: Young Cinema Competition, Documentary Competition and Short Film Competition. The results are decided by three jury teams consisting of film industry professionals such as film critics, directors and film festival delegates. Besides Firebird Awards, HKIFF also established FIPRESCI Prize in HKIFF23 to recognize enterprising filmmakers and promotes young talent in Asian cinema. Starting from HKIFF41, Audience Choice Award is held during the film festival when the audience members who purchased tickets and festival passes could vote for their favorite films. From HKIFF43, the Young Cinema Competition was divided into "Chinese Language" and "World" sections. Event nameYoung Cinema CompetitionDocumentary CompetitionShort Film CompetitionFIPRESCI PrizeAudience Choice AwardHKIFF36Firebird Award: Song of Silence
Jury Prize: The End of PubertyFirebird Award: Jai Bhim Comrade
Jury Prize: Back to the SquareFirebird Award: Muybridge's Strings
Jury Prize: Everyone Says I Love You
Special Mention: ORAThe Mirror Never Lies -HKIFF37Firebird Award: In Bloom
Jury Prize: All Apologies
Special Mention: Longing for the RainFirebird Award: Roots
Jury Prize: Oh, the San Xia
Special Mention: Redemption ImpossibleFirebird Award: Night Shift
Jury Prize: Room 606In Bloom -HKIFF38Firebird Award: Macondo
Jury Prize: The Tale of Iya
Special Mention: FormaFirebird Award: My Name Is Salt
Jury Prize: The Last Moose of Aoluguya
Special Mention: Meat and MilkFirebird Award: Butter Lamp
Jury Prize: Cold Snap
Special Mention: Symphony no.4210 Minutes -HKIFF39Firebird Award: Sworn Virgin
Jury Prize: K
Special Mention: The Coffin in the MountainFirebird Award: I am the People
Jury Prize: A Young PatriotFirebird Award: Listen
Jury Prize: A Blue RoomK -HKIFF40Firebird Award: Life After Life
Jury Prize: TomcatFirebird Award: Behemoth
Jury Prize: Under The SunFirebird Award: Batrachian's Ballad
Jury Prize: Prelude to the GeneralThe Island Funeral -HKIFF41Firebird Award: My Happy Family
Jury Prize: NewtonFirebird Award: House in the Fields
Jury Prize: InmatesFirebird Award: Jukai
Jury Prize: Ten Mornings Ten Evenings And One Horizon