The School of Creative Media (SCM) at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) celebrated its remarkable 25-year journey with an evening of creativity and inspiration at the “SCM 25 Hong Kong Film Series Opening Night” on 22 September. The event began with an exciting announcement of prestigious scholarships, followed by an exclusive movie screening, captivating the hearts of about 200 attendees, including students, faculty, alumni and industry leaders.

Present to celebrate the occasion were Professor Lee Chun-sing, Provost and Deputy President of CityU, Professor Richard Allen, Dean of the SCM, Ms Kathy Chan, Associate Vice-President (Development and Alumni Relations) and Secretary-General of the CityU Foundation, Dr the Hon Wilfred Wong, Chairman of Hong Kong Film Development Council, Mr William Wong, Chief Financial Officer of Digital Domain Holdings Limited, Mr Edmond Wong, Director of Mandarin Motion Pictures Limited, Mr Angus Chan, Managing Director and Founder of Entertaining Power Co. Limited, and Mr Patrick Tong, Senior Advisor of Mei Ah Entertainment.

Established in 1998, the SCM aims to educate students to become creative experts in digital tools and enable them to tackle some of the technological, social and environmental challenges of our era, particularly in the rapidly changing world driven by the widespread use of digital media.

The SCM announced a series of scholarships, generously established by prominent figures and organisations in the creative media and film industries. The scholarships will subsidise students’ participation in international film festivals and competitions, and provide exchange opportunities abroad. Some will award top-performing students with expertise in areas such as scriptwriting, visual effects, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and virtual-human and interactive experiences. The scholarships include the following:

• Andy Lau Charity Foundation Scholarships
• Digital Domain Scholarships
• Entertaining Power Film Development Scholarships
• Eric Tsang Film Development Scholarships
• Mandarin Motion Pictures Scholarships for Outstanding Original Screenplay
• Mei Ah Entertainment Film Development Scholarships
• Wilfred Wong Film Development Scholarships

(The above is listed according to the alphabetical order of the scholarships’ names.)

In his opening address, Professor Lee said: “To continue the development of Hong Kong as a creative hub, we need the younger generation to actively engage in this industry, as well as close collaboration between universities and the industry. These scholarships will help encourage students to participate in various forms of artistic creation and embolden them to dream big, think innovatively, and strive to achieve their aspirations."

Professor Allen emphasised the importance of this event for the SCM, stating, “I would like to thank our distinguished donors for stepping forward to support our education mission and train the next generation. Your impact is not only material, it also serves to revive the spirit of filmmaking in our community and provides a foundation for our new talents.”

 

Following the announcement of scholarships supported by the industry, the evening's spotlight turned to the exclusive screening of First Night Nerves, directed by Professor Stanley Kwan, Adjunct Professor in the SCM. The film's captivating narrative and visual artistry held the audience in rapt attention, showcasing the calibre of creative talent in the SCM.

The event was rounded off with a sharing session, featuring Director Kwan, actors Mr Bowie Lam Po-yee and Ms Catherine Chau Ka-yee, with an in-depth exchange of film creation concepts and experience with the audience, providing a meaningful conclusion to the event.