Letters | Twilight of the Warriors’ success shows why Hong Kong must invest in creative industries

Readers discuss the benefits of supporting the development of Hong Kong’s film and cultural industries, why we must not give up on waste charging, and the plan to ban the Great Artesian Basin from being used for carbon capture

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Director Soi Cheang and cast members of the film “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In” pose on the red carpet as they arrive for the screening of the film at Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, on May 16. Photo: Reuters

Published: 11:30am, 4 Jun 2024Updated: 4:32pm, 4 Jun 2024

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Amid calls to invest in Hong Kong’s film and cultural industries to spur creativity, it is encouraging to see the success of the martial arts film Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (“Blockbuster film hails Hong Kong’s past and future”, May 29). It showcases Hong Kong’s unique cultural identity and has brought renewed attention to a chapter in its rich history, the Kowloon Walled City.

The buzz the film has created shows why Hong Kong will benefit from more resources to supporting the local creative industry. Let’s be clear: Hong Kong does have a vibrant creative industry but several of the more noticeable recent successes have been in fine art trading, as evidenced by the well-received Art Basel and Affordable Art Fair held annually.

More resources should be focused on promoting local and international popular culture, which can be very lucrative. The Japanese economy has profited from doing so, and mainland China is clearly catching up as well.

Japan has long been a leading figure in global popular culture. Japanese anime and manga properties such as Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away and Koyoharu Gotouge’s Demon Slayer have created tremendous commercial value through distribution and merchandising. Yayoi Kusama’s world-famous polka dots and Yoshitomo Nara’s signature paintings of children have not only hit records in auction sales but have also generated considerable profits through merchandise products and collaborations with brand names.

Other than local popular culture, Japan has also capitalised on internationally recognised popular culture to boost its economy. Its Disneyland, Universal Studios, Warner Bros Studio tour and its production of the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are all cases in point.