Hong Kong’s Kung Fu Film Festival Celebrates Martial Arts Cinema in Toronto with Seven Screenings – Charm

Toronto ETO supports second edition of Kung Fu Film Festival

The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (Toronto) (Toronto ETO) supported the second edition of the Kung Fu Film Festival (Festival), which has presented seven screenings of martial arts movies in Richmond Hill and Scarborough May 30 and 31 (Toronto time) to celebrate Hong Kong’s kung fu cinema heritage and its influence on global film culture.

To mark the opening of the film festival, the Toronto ETO hosted an opening ceremony in Richmond Hill on May 30 with the presence of the President of the Canada Hong Kong Intercultural Association and the Festival Chair, Ms Connie Yu; the Secretary Manager of the Southern Film Culture Foundation and the Festival Curator Ms Catherine Lam; the Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto, Mr Luo Weidong; Senator Mr Woo Yuen-pau and about 50 guests from the local film, cultural and business communities.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of the Toronto ETO, Mr Bill Wong, remarked that the Toronto ETO is committed not only to strengthening economic ties between Hong Kong and Canada but also to deepening people-to-people connections through arts and culture.

He said, “Through these films, we bring entertainment to Canadian audiences and also show that kung fu is not only about action on screen – it is also about respect, perseverance, and character. These are values that Hong Kong embraces.”

The two-day festival curated a selection of seven Hong Kong martial arts films, namely “The Shadow’s Edge”, “The Way of the Dragon”, “Ip Man 4”, “Stuntman”, “Born to Defence”, “Blades of the Guardians”, and “I Am What I Am 2”.

DH clamps down on illegal cigar smoking in no-smoking areas

The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) of the Department of Health (DH) carried out surprise inspections in Kwun Tong today (May 30) and issued a total of threefixed penalty notices (FPNs) in an effort to clamp down on illegal cigar smoking in no-smoking areas.

During the operation codenamed “Smokeshield”, officers from TACO (including plainclothes officers) carried out inspections and enforcement action at one cigar retail shop in Kwun Tong, and issued a total of three FPNs to persons smoking cigars illegally at the premises. TACO’s investigation is ongoing, and prosecution may also be taken against operators of the cigar retail shop who are suspected of aiding and abetting smoking offences.

Under the Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Ordinance), smoking in a statutory no-smoking area (including indoor areas of shops) is prohibited. Any person who smokes in a statutory no-smoking areas is liable to a fixed penalty of $3,000. Venue managers of statutory no-smoking areas are empowered by the Ordinance to request a smoking offender to cease the act. If the offender is not co-operative, the manager of the no-smoking area may contact the Police for assistance.

Moreover, where smoking products (including cigars) are sold, whether in cigar retail shops or otherwise, the restrictions on the promotion and sale of smoking products stipulated in the Ordinance apply. Offenders are liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000.

In addition, under the Criminal Procedure Ordinance, any person who aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission by another person of any offence shall be guilty of the same offence.

“From January 2025 to date, the DH has conducted over 42 inspections of cigar shops regarding illegal smoking activities, and issued a total of eight FPNs for illegal smoking in these premises. The DH will continue to closely monitor and rigorously enforce the law against smoking in no-smoking areas, as well as the illegal sale and promotion of smoking products,” said the Head of TACO, Dr Manny Lam.

He cautioned that cigar smoking is just as harmful to health as other smoking products, and urged smokers to quit as early as possible for their own health and that of their family and friends. In support of the World Health Organization’s World No Tobacco Day on May 31 each year, the DH is launching the ‘Quit in June’ campaign. Free one-week smoking cessation drug trial packs are being distributed at over 300 community pharmacies, smoking cessation clinics, District Health Centres (DHCs)/DHC Expresses and DH clinics, while free Chinese medicine ear points patches are available at over 200 designated Chinese medicine clinics to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms. The DH has collaborated with the School of Nursing of the University of Hong Kong to launch a pilot AI-assisted smoking cessation counselling service – “Chat to Quit” this year. The AI provides accurate and appropriate smoking cessation information instantly, and offers personalised smoking cessation counselling according to users’ smoking history and quitting preferences. It can also provide emotional support.

The DH also operates an integrated Smoking Cessation Hotline (1833 183) to answer enquiries about smoking cessation, and provide professional counselling and referral services. Members of the public can visit the smoking cessation thematic website (www.livetobaccofree.hk) for more information on smoking cessation and related support tools and services. They can also download the “Quit Smoking App” to keep track of their quitting progress and obtain tips on fighting cravings to maintain a tobacco-free life.