GOT MY SHINJUKU INCIDENT TICKET!

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Having a press accreditation at the HKIFF ( Hong Kong International Film Festival) is useful if you want to take photos, to video shoot smiling movie stars at press conferences or films premieres, or to interview people. But having a press accreditation at the HKIFF is completely useless if you want to have tickets for the opening movies, closing movies,

award gala movies and films screened at the Hong Kong Film Archive (where there are usually the most rare and interesting movies screened).

And  basically, if a journalist wants to see other movies at this festival, he/she has to wait to see if the tickets are not sold out, before having his/her ticket. If it’s sold out, well, too bad, no movie for you. Because of this strange system (How can you do a good interview if you can’t watch the movie?) I got screwed many times. When I was able to attend some premiere screenings ( The Heavenly Kings, The Pye-Dog, Black Night, Run Papa Run or Election 2 for example), it’s because I got the tickets from friends.

So, this year, I took my precautions, and stayed awake until 3.00 am (French time which means 10.00 am Hong Kong time) to buy online my Shinjuku Incident premiere screening ticket. A few minutes later, It  was booked! (Now, all the tickets are sold out – of course). So for once, I’m 100% sure that I’ll be able to watch a HKIFFopening film. Unless I miss my plane...

Frédéric Ambroisine (March 1 st, 2009)