KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 — This year’s Hong Kong Film Awards will be scaled down due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Quoting director of the awards board Tenky Tin Kai Man, Sin Chew Daily reported that the event had been tentatively fixed for April 19.
The venue will be changed from the Hong Kong Cultural Centre at Tsim Sha Tsui to Kowloon Bay International Trade & Exhibition Centre.
Tin’s announcement had put to rest earlier speculations that the event, Hong Kong’s equivalent to America’s Academy Awards, would be shelved in view of the outbreak.
To reduce the number of people gathering, only award presenters and winners would be invited to the event.
Tin also did not discount the possibility that the red carpet would be called off due to the unsuitability of the new venue.
“We will have a board meeting to decide. If it worsens, we will consider whether to continue with the event,” said Tin.
One death has been recorded in Hong Kong due to the coronavirus.
Since the outbreak, the entertainment industry in Hong Kong has suffered massive losses.
Besides cancellation of concerts, movie productions have also been suspended because of the coronavirus.
