[2011.05.04] ANDREW LAU IS NOT CONCERNED WITH CO-PRODUCTION QUOTA

Hong Kong show business earlier raised fund for the Japan earthquake relief with ARTISTES 311 LOVE BEYOND BORDER and successfully raised HK$26.6 million. Yesterday a check presentation ceremony was held. The event supervising member Jackie Chan, Mr. Barry Wong, planner Andrew Lau Wai Keung, Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau command commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Pho (Fu Sam Chuen) and community relations director Wong Kwok Ching attended.

Lau Wai Keung said that 26.08 million have already gone to the Salvation Army for relief packages for the victims. The remaining donations were being collected. Later all of the donations would be accounted for. Jackie Chan pointed out that "trouble in one direction, assistance from eight directions" has always been the Hong Kong show business motto. They would carefully handle each relief project funding. Jackie Chan this time donated 4.1 million including the event production cost. The Salvation Army in mid May will visit Japan. Originally Jackie Chan wanted to tag along, but due to work he changed his mind.

Yesterday a report claimed that Hong Kong actresses were losing opportunities to Mainland actresses because many Mainland actresses had behind the scene bosses who pay for the movies. Jackie Chan said that he also signed Mainland actress Lin Peng and would recommend her to friends. Maybe everyone would use Lin Peng as a favor to him, but he did not know about the question of the behind the scene bosses. Ultimately he liked to use new comers. He also would recommend Hong Kong actresses to Mainland productions. Speaking of Hong Kong actor quota in co-productions, as the Motion Picture Industry Association vice chair Jackie Chan would like the chance to suggest to Mainland film bureau not to differentiate between Mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan artists because everyone actually were Chinese artists. Actors should not have border differentiation.

Lau Wai Keung said that he used Shu Qi. He pointed out that now Mainland co-production standards were very loosen. Earlier when he made LEGEND OF THE FIST THE RETURN OF CHEN ZHEN (JING MO FUNG WON CHEN ZHEN) the cast had Hong Kong actors, so no one should be too negative. For THE FLYING GUILLOTINES (HUET DIK JI), producer Peter Chan Ho Sun and director Teddy Chan Tak Sum were at odds and he had to take over. Lau Wai Keung avoided the subject and for now he could not talk about the situation. Was he afraid of upsetting Chan Tak Sum? He said, "I don't care about that!"