Latest news with #CinemaDay
South China Morning Post
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Study Buddy (Explorer): Hong Kong Cinema Day achieves a 3-year high occupancy rate
Content provided by British Council Read the following text, and answer questions 1–9 below: [1] Hong Kong movie theatres reached an 83 per cent occupancy rate for Cinema Day, a three-year high. Although the overall turnout was slightly lower than in 2024, nearly 195,000 people enjoyed a day at the pictures this year. Cinema Day took place on May 10. Tickets were priced at HK$30 (US$3.86) and 1,774 screenings were held throughout the day at 53 venues. Showings across the city enjoyed strong ticket sales, and many boasted a full house. [2] The Hong Kong Theatre Association, which organises the annual event, said its preliminary figures showed 194,755 film-goers flocked to cinemas for the special day. This year's 83 per cent overall occupancy rate surpassed the 68 per cent and 78 per cent recorded in 2024 and 2023, respectively. [3] However, the actual number of attendees fell short of last year's record of 203,017. Regardless, the association said it was upbeat about the results, especially given that fewer cinemas took part in the promotion this year compared to last. [4] 'The figures remained similar, which greatly satisfied the Theatre Association. [We] also observed a significant increase in foot traffic in various shopping malls,' group chairman Timothy Yuen Yin-man said. 'Notably … many young people were seen enjoying movies with like-minded friends, indicating that Cinema Day is quite appealing to the younger generation and that cinemas are a popular social venue for them.' [5] The event's tickets were subsidised due to support from the government's Film Development Fund and the Create Hong Kong agency. Seats, including VIP ones, cost just HK$30. The promotion was first launched in 2023, after the Covid-19 pandemic, and aims to revitalise the film and cinema industry after three years of disruptions caused by inconsistent business and mandated social distancing. [6] The association said this year's Cinema Day continued to receive widespread support, with shopping malls, retailers and restaurants all taking part by offering various promotions to encourage public spending. Film-goers started lining up both online and in person a week before the event in hopes of obtaining cheap tickets. [7] 'The vibrant flow of people through the city demonstrates the effectiveness of the Hong Kong Cinema Day strategy; it not only encourages residents to visit movie theatres but also successfully mobilises various merchants to participate, which has proved very beneficial for boosting the local economy,' Wilfred Wong Ying-wai, chairman of the Hong Kong Film Development Council, said. [8] But the strong performance comes after three cinemas closed in the first three months of this year. At least nine venues closed in 2024. Only 56 cinemas currently operate in the city, a sharp drop from 112 venues in 1994. Last year, cinema revenue dropped to a 13-year low. Source: South China Morning Post, May 11 Questions 1. Find a phrase in paragraph 1 that means 'all tickets were sold'. 2. According to paragraph 1, what was the total number of screenings on Cinema Day? 3. The year's occupancy rate was … the rate of the last two years, based on paragraph 2. A. higher than B. lower than C. around the same as D. none of the above 4. As mentioned in paragraph 4, what group was seen watching movies on Cinema Day? 5. When did Cinema Day start and why, according to paragraph 5? 6. How much did each VIP seat cost on Cinema Day, based on paragraph 5? 7. Decide whether the following statements, according to paragraphs 5 and 6, are True, False or the information is Not Given. Fill in ONE circle only for each statement. (4 marks) (i) Tickets for Cinema Day could only be bought online. (ii) The public showed little interest in the cheaper tickets. (iii) Many shops offered a 'buy one, get one free' promotion on Cinema Day. (iv) Tickets for the event are cheaper because the government helps cover the costs. 8. What are two positive outcomes of the Hong Kong Cinema Day strategy, according to paragraph 7? 9. Based on paragraph 8, the overall number of cinemas in the city has … since 1994. A. increased B. decreased C. remained stable D. become unpredictable 10. How many cinemas closed between 2024 and March 2025, according to paragraph 8? People head to Emperor Cinema at iSquare in Tsim Sha Tsui to watch a film on Hong Kong Cinema Day 2025. Photo: Dickson Lee Answers 1. full house 2. 1,774 3. A 4. young people 5. The promotion was launched in 2023, following the Covid-19 pandemic, and aims to revitalise the industry after three years of disruptions caused by inconsistent business and mandated social distancing. (accept similar answers) 6. HK$30 7. (i) F; (ii) F; (iii) NG; (iv) T 8. It encourages residents to visit movie theatres and successfully mobilises various merchants to participate. 9. B 10. 12
HKFP
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- HKFP
Grand Kornhill Cinema becomes latest movie theatre to shut down in Hong Kong
Grand Kornhill Cinema will close at the end of May – the latest and fourth movie theatre to put up its shutters this year in Hong Kong. MCL Cinemas, the operator of Grand Kornhill Cinema, posted the news on social media on Thursday, saying that the movie theatre in Kornhill Plaza in Quarry Bay would close on May 28 due to the end of its tenancy. The announcement comes on the heels of the closures of Newport Theatre in Mong Kok and Golden Harvest's cinema in Whampoa in April. Sun Digital, a modern cinema that was part of the historic Cantonese opera venue Sunbeam Theatre, also drew its curtains in March. Last year, nine local cinemas closed as overall box office receipts in Hong Kong showed the weakest performance since 2011, according to figures compiled by Hong Kong Box Office Limited. Total box office income amounted to HK$1.3 billion in 2024 – down 6.2 per cent from 2023, Hong Kong Box Office Limited said in January. Located atop the Taikoo MTR Station, Grand Kornhill Cinema has five screens and 706 seats. It opened in 2002 and underwent a major renovation that introduced an MX4D theatre in 2017. Apart from Grand Kornhill Cinema, the MCL Cinemas chain operates 14 other movie theatres. In the social media announcement, the cinema chain thanked fans for their 'continued support of Grand Kornhill Cinema throughout the years.' Hong Kong's cinema scene has taken a hit since Covid-19, when restrictions ordered the closure of theatres for months at a time. Multiple cinemas, as well as major theatre chain UA Cinemas, have since closed. The movie sector continues to struggle this year as residents increasingly seek entertainment options in neighbouring Shenzhen and other mainland Chinese cities. To boost ticket sales, the Hong Kong Theatres Association held its annual Cinema Day on Saturday, offering tickets for HK$30, with senior tickets for morning shows available at a lower price.
South China Morning Post
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong Cinema Day: movie theatres achieve 83% occupancy rate, a 3-year high
Hong Kong movie theatres achieved an 83 per cent occupancy rate for Cinema Day, a three-year high that saw nearly 195,000 people enjoy a day at the pictures, even as the overall turnout was slightly below the tally for 2024. Advertisement For Cinema Day on Saturday, 53 venues offered tickets at HK$30 (US$3.86) each and hosted 1,774 screenings throughout the day. Many showings across the city enjoyed strong ticket sales and had a full house. The Hong Kong Theatre Association, which organises the annual event, said on Sunday that its preliminary figures showed 194,755 film-goers flocked to cinemas for the special day, more than triple the number from the previous Saturday. This year's overall occupancy rate reached 83 per cent, surpassing the 68 per cent and 78 per cent recorded in 2024 and 2023, respectively. However, the overall attendance number this time around failed to surpass last year's record of 203,017. Advertisement The association said it was upbeat about the results regardless, especially given the fact that the number of cinemas taking part in the promotion had fallen by 16 per cent from 2024. 'But the figures remained similar, which greatly satisfied the Theatre Association. The association also observed a significant increase in foot traffic in various shopping malls yesterday,' group chairman Timothy Yuen Yin-man said.
RTHK
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTHK
Cinema Day just the ticket for crowds
Cinema Day just the ticket for crowds This year marks the third consecutive year the annual Cinema Day is held, which aims to encourage people to patronise movie theatres. Photo: RTHK Hong Kong's annual Cinema Day drew crowds on Saturday, with moviegoers citing the event as a boost for both the entertainment industry and local spending. The initiative, now in its third year, offered a flat ticket price of HK$30 at more than 50 cinemas citywide. At a cinema in Mong Kok, many locals said they made a special trip to the theatres because of the discounted price. A man, Chan, described the event as an opportunity that is not to be missed as the tickets were nearly half the usual price. He said uniform pricing for movie tickets in the future would be more convenient for cinema lovers: + "If all cinemas and showings had the same price, that would be more convenient," Chan said. "I wouldn't have to specifically look for a cheaper cinema. "There would be more times to choose from." Another man, Tam, highlighted the appeal of indoor activities given present weather conditions. "I saw that the movie 'Flow' is playing. I have heard about the movie before," he said. "I wouldn't usually consider watching it, but I will if it's only HK$30." "Especially with the weather becoming hotter these days, we can go watch a movie to enjoy the air conditioning." Several others expressed hope that the discounted prices would encourage greater support for Hong Kong films and suggested more Cinema Days be held in the future. A tourist from Shenzhen, who stumbled upon the promotion while passing a cinema, said the price was cheaper than back home. He said catching a movie was worth considering even given his limited time in Hong Kong. However, he suggested that improved signage outside cinemas would help more tourists learn about and benefit from the discounted tickets.
South China Morning Post
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Cheap tickets for Hong Kong Cinema Day draw fans and calls for more promotions
Hong Kong film lovers making the most of the annual Cinema Day discounts have called for such promotions to be offered more often, while local productions emerged as popular choices. Advertisement Residents could buy tickets for HK$30 for any screenings at cinemas across the city on Saturday, with some film-goers snapping up the tickets earlier in the week when sales opened. Among cinema-goers in Causeway Bay was retiree Cara Tang and her husband, who queued for more than half an hour online to get their tickets on Wednesday for the Hong Kong film Vital Signs , a drama about two paramedics. 'We've wanted to watch this film since it came out earlier this month and decided to watch it today because cheap tickets are on offer,' Tang, 69, said. 'We chose Times Square because the timing fitted our schedule better than the screening in Central. We normally go to cinemas on weekdays when we can use our senior discounts. They are not usually available on weekends.' Cara Tang and her husband were going to watch Vital Signs. Photo: Ambrose Li Kerr Yang bought tickets for The Dumpling Queen , the rags-to-riches story of Wanchai Ferry founder Chong Kin-wo, as she is a fan of lead actress Ma Li and director Andrew Lau Wai-keung.
