Post-handover Film Policy in the island city Hong Kong:A Cinema Facing Increasing Integration into the hinterland

Historically, arts and culture did not receive any sort of priority from the government, as Hong Kong had been colonized primarily for its access to the lucrative Chinese market following the Opium Wars. By not having an official cultural policy, the government ignored the needs of the cultural sector, which had a detrimental effect on the development of the arts in Hong Kong. As the mainland labour market becomes increasingly open to Hong Kong film workers, the fate of Hong Kong cinema, situated as it is in this context of greater integration, has become a cause for concern among filmmakers. Through document analysis and 47in-depth interviews with film practitioners, this article is exclusively devoted to examining film policy after the handover, particularly in the years since 2000 and in relation to young film practitioners.