South China's Guangdong Province has been given the green light by the nation's top radio, film and TV administrative body to independently introduce Cantonese-language movies manufactured in Hong Kong.

"After getting approval by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, people in Guangdong, where Cantonese is the main language, will have more access to up-to-date Hong Kong movies," Lin Ziping, cultural marketing director of the Guangdong provincial department of culture, said.

Under the approval, there will be no limitations on the quantity of movies that can be shown in Guangdong, Lin said.

In the past, movies from Hong Kong were introduced only by the Beijing-based China Film Group Corporation and then distributed to local companies on the mainland.

Lin said three Guangdong film companies - the China Film South Cinema Circuit Co Ltd, Guangzhou Pearl River Cinema Circuit Co Ltd and the Shenzhen Movie Circuit Ltd - have been granted rights to independently select and introduce Cantonese-language movies made in Hong Kong.

"However, Hong Kong movies introduced by the three Guangdong movie companies must still be approved by the top radio, film and TV administrative body," he said.

Although the approval was officially granted last year, just one Hong Kong movie, "The Heavenly Kings", has so far been released in Guangdong.

Lin said the three local movie companies were in talks with Hong Kong moviemakers on how to produce films that would appeal in Guangdong.

He described the situation as "win-win" for both moviemakers and viewers.

"Guangdong and Hong Kong have lots in common, but mostly the language. People understand the beauty of the dialogue in Hong Kong movies," Lin said.

He said the move was part of efforts by the mainland to aid the development of the movie industry in Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong movies will always find an audience in Guangdong. So the move will ultimately benefit everyone," Lin told China Daily.

Zhong Haiming, a piano teacher from Shenzhen, said: "I love Cantonese-language movies. People who don't speak Cantonese cannot understand how beautiful the language is."

(China Daily August 7, 2007)