CA17/2015 For Immediate Release Ngong Ping 360’s first cross-over project with Monster Hunt Director Mr Raman Hui, Oscar winner for Best Animated Feature Wuba Cabins to debut and sparkling activities to launch Supporting the local creative industry in partnership with Very Hong Kong (Hong Kong, 15 June 2015) Ngong Ping 360 has always strived to generate novel ideas. In a first for the company, we are collaborating with the creator of Shrek, Mr Raman Hui, marking a wave of sparkling activities this summer. World-class Hong Kong tourist destination to cross-over with Oscar-winning creator for the first time As a major home-grown tourist destination, Ngong Ping 360 has always been an advocate for local art and show business. Following the launch of “Stage 360”, an attraction themed around Hong Kong’s Kung Fu movie, and the Lantau-themed “Motion 360”, we are collaborating with local movie director who is dubbed “Father of Shrek”, Mr Raman Hui, for the first time. Ngong Ping Cable Cars and Ngong Ping Village will be enlivened by Wuba, the hero of Hui’s latest production, Monster Hunt – an animated fantasy that was in development for 6 years. Amid the current challenging environment for the tourism and creative industries, this collaboration will showcase the Hong Kong spirit and foster tourism and creative industries development. The two collaborators have much in common: both are winners of international accolades with Hong Kong origins, and both are living examples of Hong Kong’s very own Lion Rock spirit. Both also unceasingly pursue excellence and show strong determination. Ngong Ping 360 and Mr Hui are joining forces to highlight to both local and overseas guests what makes Hong Kongers proud – a world-class destination and the local creative industry. Launched in June, the cross-over features Wuba Cabins, cable cars decorated with touches of Hong Kong, and a range of events and activities, combining one of the world’s top ten amazing cable car rides and an opportunity to get up close and personal with the home-grown animated characters of Monster Hunt. Dr Stella Kwan, Managing Director of Ngong Ping 360, Mr Hui, Monster Hunt Director, and Ms Sandra Ng, named Best Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards, are the officiating guests for the kick off ceremony of Ngong Ping 360 x Monster Hunt today. Dr Kwan said that “this is the very first cross-sector collaboration between Hong Kong’s world-class tourist destination and an Oscar-winning creator. I hope that the sparkles of Hong Kong’s tourism and film industries can help attract more local and overseas visitors and movie-goers to experience the natural scenery of Hong Kong, and to appreciate the city’s distinguished creative arts”. She went on to explain that “Hong Kong is the home to talents, and Ngong Ping 360 wishes to play its part to support the sustainable development of our home-grown creative industry with Mr Raman Hui and Hong Kong citizens. We hope our efforts contribute to the grooming of more people we can call the ‘pride of Hong Kong’”. Mr Hui said that “recognised as among the ‘10 of the world’s most amazing cable car experiences, Ngong Ping 360 is a tourist spot with many Hong Kong characteristics and is close to nature. I really look forward to this cross-over because my characters are strongly associated with traditional culture and nature! Wuba and Zhugao will definitely be delighted here”. Monster Hunt main character Wuba appears on Ngong Ping cable car cabins and in Ngong Ping Village Ten Wuba Cabins in two versions designed by Mr Hui are launched, combining elements of Ngong Ping 360 and Monster Hunt and the cute lead character Wuba in various poses. Guests can be able to use the pictures as backdrops for capturing memorable cable car moments. There are a special edition Wuba Cabin featuring not only pictures of Wuba, Pangying and Zhugao, but also Jing Boran, Bai Baihe, Eric Tsang and Sandra Ng, the four leading roles in Monster Hunt. Eight tailor-made statues of Wuba, designed by actors Sandra Ng and Eric Tsang; Cantonese voice actors Cherry Ngan and Louis Cheung; and four students or graduates of architecture, design and arts recommended by Very Hong Kong1, will be exhibited around Hong Kong (see attachment 1). Among them, statues designed by Sandra Ng, Eric Tsang and two students have made their debut appearance at Ngong Ping 360 – at the Tung Chung/Ngong Ping Cable Car Terminals and Ngong Ping Village, offering guests with the opportunity to take pictures with Wuba. At the kick-off ceremony, Sandra Ng was delighted to present her statue, naming it Prince Charming because Wuba is a newborn monster prince in film. She further explained that the lovely floral print around the statue’s body was inspired by nature and her own glamorous look in Monster Hunt. To support the home-grown creative industry and encourage wider public participation, guests will be able to ride in Wuba Cabins for an additional HK$50 on 16-22 June. This special offer is inclusive of priority ticketing and a Monster Hunt souvenir. The first guest to purchase a Wuba Cabin ticket each day will receive two tickets to the Monster Hunt Gala Premiere. 1 Very Hong Kong is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to promote community-led art, culture and designs. It nurtures and develops creative Hong Kong talents by organising innovative events and activities. Ngong Ping 360 and Monster Hunt will donate all proceeds from this special offer2 to Very Hong Kong, as a contribution to promoting local creative arts. The offer thus adds special meaning to the cable car journey in support of the local community. On Saturdays and Sundays between 16 June and 5 July, the live character Wuba will appear in Ngong Ping Village from time to time to meet and greet visitors. Guests will be able to take advantage of these all-direction interactive encounters and take pictures with the adorable and cuddly character. Visitors to Ngong Ping 360 will also be able to win Wuba gifts by joining the Hunt-a-Monster game between 16 June and 5 July. Following clues on a map, guests will be able to collect five monster stamps in various locations at Ngong Ping Village to redeem a daily limited- edition plush Wuba or a Wuba souvenir. These will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and will be available while stocks last. Dr Stella Kwan, Managing Director of Ngong Ping 360 added, “June is a low season for the tourism industry in Hong Kong and the slowdown in overnight inbound tourist numbers has persisted in recent months. The average daily number of visitors to Ngong Ping 360 from January to May this year recorded a 5.5% decrease, compared to the same period last year. From January to May this year, 29% of the guests came from China, 49% of the guests came from Western and Asian countries while 22% were Hong Kong residents. Hong Kong is a potential market, we believe that our cross-over with Monster Hunt will further boost local visitation numbers, such that more Hong Kong people will come to visit Ngong Ping 360. About Ngong Ping 360 Ngong Ping 360 is a world-class tourist attraction located on Lantau Island in Hong Kong that offers an exciting gateway to a one-of-a-kind natural and cultural experience. The Ngong Ping Cable Car stretches 5.7km from Tung Chung to the culturally themed Ngong Ping Village, where guests can enjoy a range of dining, shopping and entertaining outlets as well as easy access to other featured attractions on Lantau Island, including Tian Tan Big Buddha, Wisdom Path and Tai O Fishing Village. The Ngong Ping Cable Car is a rare example of a bi-cable gondola lift system, and it is also the biggest aerial cable car of its kind in Asia. It offers a visually spectacular 25-minute journey with panoramic views of the flora and fauna of North Lantau Country Park, Tung Chung Bay and Hong Kong International Airport. After receiving the CILT Award 2013 – Enterprise Award presented by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Hong Kong (CILTHK) in May, Ngong Ping 360 was selected as one of the “Cable cars: 10 amazing rides around the world” in June 2014 by The Daily Telegraph UK and named as one of the “10 of the world’s most amazing cable car experiences” by CNN.com USA in February 2015. 2 All HK$50 of the upgrade fee paid by each guest for the special offer will be donated. About the Film Monster Hunt is the latest creation of Mr Raman Hui, widely recognised as the “Father of Shrek”. It took 6 years and cost HK$440 million to complete this fantasy epic, with both live actors and computer-generated characters. The production featured a world famous Hollywood crew, including Jason H. Snell, winner of the Best Achievement in Visual Effects award at the 79th Oscar Academy Awards for Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest; Yohei Taneda, 6-time winner of the Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction award at the Japanese Academy Awards; and Ellen Poon, known for her work on Frozen, Inception and Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Monster Hunt will be in theatres from 16 July. Synopsis of “Monster Hunt” In theatres from 16 July In a fantasy world a long time ago, monsters and humans live separately. One day, a mysterious couple (played by Sandra Ng and Eric Tsang) escape to a village with the pregnant Queen of monsters.