Closing of President Theatre in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay ‘marks end of an era’
- Film lovers flock to cinema for final showings after nearly 60 years of operation
- President Theatre drew crowds during golden age of Hong Kong cinema
The closure of the President Theatre cinema in Hong Kong’s bustling Causeway Bay on Tuesday was an emotional day for film enthusiast Leo Lo, who said the shutting down of the 58-year-old landmark was a “loss” that reflected major changes in Hong Kong.
Lo, in his forties, joined other mostly older residents to watch the final showings at the cinema and take photographs of the venue as they bid it farewell.
“I work in the film industry, which is why this is particularly poignant to me,” Lo said, noting the cinema operated during the heyday of the city’s film business.
“From when the cinema started in the 1960s with screenings of films by Connie Chan Po-chu to the era of Bruce Lee and later on Sammo Hung Kam-bo, and then the classics of the 1980s and 1990s, [the cinema] has transcended generations,” he noted.
“It’s a loss for Hong Kong and its audiences.”
Newport Circuit announced on its social media page on Saturday that the cinema, which was opened in 1966, would shut on April 30, and expressed gratitude for the public’s support. Tickets for the last show at the cinema were sold out.
