Category: June

Laurel Chor Honoured by IWMF

Congratulations to Hong Kong women’s rugby international Laurel Chor who was named an honoree in the 2020 Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award.

Chor has been given an honourable mention in the International Women’s Media Foundation’s (IWMF)awards for her coverage of the Hong Kong protests and showing the region’s struggle for democracy, freedom and human rights.

The award was created to celebrate the courageous work of female photojournalists. Learn more about this year’s awardees on website.

image: hkrugby

44th Hong Kong International Film Festival New Dates

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS) have announced the new dates for the 44th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF44) which will now be held from the 18-31 August 2020.

No information has been released as to whether the new dates will also include Asia Film Financing Forum (HAF18).

In announcing the new dates Executive Director Albert Lee said HKIFFS had decided to re-launch HKIFF44 after the Hong Kong government began easing the COVID-19 restrictive measures, including allowing local cinemas to re-open.

“We are cautiously optimistic that Hong Kong is gradually returning to normal from the health crisis,” said Mr Lee.  “I am pleased that we have not stopped our preparation since the postponement.  The prospects of being able to bring back HKIFF44 to our audience are exciting.  Nothing beats the big-screen experience of watching a diverse selection of films from around the world.”

The full programme of films will be announced on the 28 July with tickets going on sale from the 5 August through URBTIX.

44th Hong Kong International Film Festival
Date: 18-31 August, 2020
Venue: various
Tickets: tbc

For latest updates of HKIFF44 and Cine Fan programmes, www.hkiff.org.hk and www.cinefan.com.hk.  For information about HAF18, www.haf.org.hk.

Tiananmen Square Vigil @ Victoria Park – 4 June, 2020

Quite surprisingly the 31st Anniversary vigil of the CCP’s massacre of its own citizens in Tiananmen Square for daring to question the party passed peacefully.

After a year of violence and aggression, the CCP militia formerly known as the HK Police showed a bit of common sense and avoided what could have been a second bloody 4 June.

Wearing blue uniforms, instead of riot green while keeping riot shields and weapons hidden, they turned a blind eye to the tens of thousands of HongKongers who congregated at Victoria Park to stand together and remember those murdered in 1989.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2020/Tiananmen-Square-Vigil-4-June-2020-Victoria-Park/i-pPhJ4Dt

The mood was as sombre as it’s been in several years, with many of those gathering wondering if they were going to be victims of the next CCP massacre…

As the time of the vigil passed and the police hadn’t attacked, the strains of Glory to Hong Kong began to reverberate across the park and a sea of raised hands reminded Beijing – 5 Demands, Not 1 Less.

With the CCP again perverting the Basic Law and ignoring the signed international treaties that define One Country 2 Systems with the forced implementation of a ‘National Security’ law. While their glove puppets in Legco reinterpret the rules to pass the ‘Respect the National Anthem’ law – HongKongers stood united in remembrance and spirit.

HongKongers understand, they like China. They just don’t trust, like or respect the CCP. The March of the Volunteers is not China’s anthem it’s the CCPs. The National Security law is about keeping the CCP and its corrupt sycophants in power not about protecting China.

Standing united across Hong Kong and the world last night, millions of people remembered and reminded those who might have forgotten the truth about the CCP.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2020/Tiananmen-Square-Vigil-4-June-2020-Victoria-Park/i-9Rmzgd5

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2020/Tiananmen-Square-Vigil-4-June-2020-Victoria-Park/i-BSp47bm

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2020/Tiananmen-Square-Vigil-4-June-2020-Victoria-Park/i-cMvnwv8

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2020/Tiananmen-Square-Vigil-4-June-2020-Victoria-Park/i-9c4PX7C

Big Buddha Renovations

The Big Buddha, or to give it it’s official name the Tian Tan Giant Buddha, at the Po Lin Monastery will be closed for maintenance and repair work from the 2 June 2020.

The repairs involve the cleaning of the bronze statue, which opened in 1989, to remove the oxidation layer and pollutants. During the maintenance, the area around the statue will be closed to the public but the monastery and religious ceremonies will continue as usual and visitors are welcome.

Image: Po Lin Monastery

Knickerbocker Glory & Coke Floats

It’s a little hot this summer, to help you cool down Pizza Express’s Lee Tung Avenue branch and Haagen Daz are offering some old-style summer flavours.

Originating in the UK in the 1920s the Knickerbocker Glory ($88) features layers of fruit (banana, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries), crumbed biscuits, raspberry sauce and Haagen Daz ice cream topped with whipped cream and Nutella.

The iconic coke float, created in  1874 by Robert McCay Green, is simply coca-cola and a scoop of ice-cream. Pizza Express have given the float a twenty nineteen twist by blending smooth the ingredients and called the original The Little Kid ($68), to allow for an ‘adult’ version, The Big Kid ($78), which adds Baileys and whiskey…

These summer specials are only available at Pizza Express’s Lee Tung Avenue branch from 19 July to 31 August.

If you’re in the area there are some free Little Kid tasters available on 20, 27, 28 July, 2-6pm; and on 21 July, noon-3pm – while stocks last.

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/Pizza-Express-Haagan-Daz-Summer-Promotion-18-July-2019/i-vKNprVP/A

Calabrese pizza ($188)

https://bcmagazine.smugmug.com/Bcene-photos/2019/Pizza-Express-Haagan-Daz-Summer-Promotion-18-July-2019/i-kVgTJ8g/A

Pizza Express Lee Tung Avenue
G31, G/F, Lee Tung Avenue, 200 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai

Edited: 23 July, to clarify drink details.

We Entered Together, We Leave Together

As part of the protest against the extradition bill to China, protesters entered the Legislative Council (LegCo) building around 9pm. Most protesters decided to leave LegCo before midnight, when police action usually begins.

4 protesters decided to stay behind indefinitely and risk being beaten or shot, and 10 years in prison (protesters are often charged with ‘rioting’, which has a maximum sentence of 10 years).

While some protesters urged others to respect the decision of the 4 to sacrifice themselves, others disagreed and about 100 protesters returned to the LegCo chamber at 23:55 (video begins) and rescued/persuaded/urged them to leave, saying that ‘we entered together, we leave together’, ‘we leave no one behind’.

A reporter interviewed one of the those who returned, who appeared to be a young girl around the age of 14. The girl explained that they were fearful of police violence, but they were even more scared that they would lose the 4. She explained that if the 4 cannot leave, neither would they.

This happened yesterday, 1st July 2019.
Video: Facebook Live by The Stand News around 23:55.

Hong Kong Retain Asia Men’s Rugby Championship

Hong Kong successfully defended their Asia Men’s Rugby Champions title beating South Korea 64-3 at Hong Kong Football Club.

A day of superb individual performances at the Hong Kong Football Club saw the hosts secure a bonus point, and a 26-0 lead, after just 20 minutes.

Hong Kong were on the front foot from the kick-off, exerting enough pressure on the Korean defence to put fullback Jack Neville over for the game’s first try after 10 minutes. Wing Seb Brien and centre Ben Axten-Burrett added tries in the next ten minutes before Neville bagged a first half brace to push Hong Kong’s lead to 26-0.

Starved of both space and ball, South Korea could only muster a penalty in reply deep in the half. A red card for a dangerous tackle on Harry Sayers left Korea a man down for the remainder, creating space for a Tyler Spitz try late to bring the total to 31-3 at the break.

The second half was more of the same with Hong Kong entertaining the home crowd with four more tries.

Fly half Matt Rosslee started the scoring shortly after the re-start, tiptoeing down the line before breaking in behind the centre defence to push the score to 38-3 after he converted his own effort.

The forwards muscled in on the action with tries from Callum McCullough, who scored a brace in the second half, including a 60-metre solo effort that saw the big man swerving and dummying the defence beautifully.

McCullough, one of the finds of the ARC campaign, was joined by another new cap on the score sheet in the second half when Fai Solomona crossed the whitewash, showing some superior conditioning to finish off another long-range Hong Kong try.

Ben Axten-Burrett served up that try and capped a fine individual performance with a battering try of his own moments later when the forwards demolished the understrength Korean pack on their line to produce another in a day-long series of fine attacking platforms. Axten-Burrett shoulder charged his way through two defenders for an emphatic finish.

McCullough’s loping effort, with hooker Alexander Post in eager support served as the perfect capping for a day when Hong Kong scored nine tries, running their last two match total to 20, to remain Asian champions.

Hong Kong’s bonus point win sees them finish on a perfect 20 of 20 possible points with South Korea on ten and Malaysia on one.

While it took Hong Kong a half-century to claim its first ever Asia Rugby title, a second convincing run against the region’s top contenders sets an exciting stage for the return of Japan to the competition in 2020.

Hong Kong v South Korea (Hong Kong Football Club, 29 June)

1. Ben Higgins, 2. Alex Post, 3. Grant Kemp, 4. Fin Field, 5. Kyle Sullivan, 6. James Cunningham, 7. Callum Mccullough, 8. Kane Boucaut, 9. Liam Slatem (Captain), 10. Matt Rosslee, 11. Harry Sayers, 12. Ben Axten-Burrett, 13. Tyler Spitz 14. Seb Brien, 15. Jack Neville,
Reserves: 16. Callum Mcfeat Smith 17. Mitch Andrews, 18. Faizal Solomona, 19. Craig Lodge, 20. Sam Tsoi, 21. Jamie Lauder, 22. Lewis Warer, 23, Rob Keith

Additional reporting and images HKRU, Tiger Super Sports