Hong Kong’s cinematic spotlight is shining brighter than ever today, February 26, 2025, as the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) locks in local legend Louis Koo as its 2025 Filmmaker in Focus! The news, confirmed yesterday and still sizzling across the city, promises a dazzling tribute to the action hero turned powerhouse producer when the festival storms back from April 10 to 21. With a retrospective of his iconic hits and a rare in-person chat on the horizon, HKIFF’s 49th edition is shaping up to be a love letter to one of Hong Kong’s biggest stars—and fans are already rolling the credits in their heads!
The announcement dropped like a perfectly timed stunt sequence, with HKIFF organizers hailing Koo’s decades-long reign over the city’s silver screens. “Louis Koo’s a homegrown icon who’s carried Hong Kong cinema to new heights,” beamed Executive Director Albert Lee yesterday. “From TV heartthrob to film titan, he’s the real deal—and we’re thrilled to celebrate him.” The festival’s centerpiece? A handpicked showcase of 10 of Koo’s most electrifying flicks, spanning his early TVB days to his recent box-office juggernaut Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In—the second-highest-grossing local film ever and Hong Kong’s 2025 Oscar contender.
Today, social media’s a reel of excitement. “Louis Koo at HKIFF? My ‘90s kid soul is screaming!” one X user posted, while another gushed, “From A Step Into the Past to Walled In—this man’s a legend. April can’t come fast enough!” The retrospective’s lineup is still under wraps, but expect heavy hitters like The White Storm and SPL: Sha Po Lang, where Koo’s brooding charisma and bone-crunching action stole the show. And then there’s the main event: a face-to-face with the man himself, where fans can grill him on everything from stunts to his producing empire, One Cool Group. “It’s Louis unfiltered—bring your popcorn and your questions!” one insider teased.
Koo’s journey reads like a Hong Kong blockbuster—model-turned-actor, TVB darling by the late ‘90s, then a film star who’s dodged bullets and broken box-office records. Twilight of the Warriors alone raked in over HK$100 million locally, a gritty love letter to the city’s kung-fu legacy that’s got Oscar buzz buzzing. “He’s not just a star—he’s a one-man industry,” a local critic raved today. “This HKIFF spotlight’s long overdue.” With actress Angela Yuen stepping up as the fest’s 2025 ambassador, the stage is set for a double dose of star power.
The city’s cinephiles are already plotting their festival game plan. “Louis Koo’s retrospective? I’m clearing my April schedule,” one fan tweeted, while another predicted, “That in-person session’s gonna sell out faster than a Stephen Chow premiere!” HKIFF’s timing’s perfect, too—riding the wave of Hong Kong’s 2025 budget boost for the arts, it’s a golden moment to flex the city’s cinematic muscle. “This is our chance to show the world what Hong Kong’s made of,” Lee added, and Koo’s the poster boy for that mission.
As April 10 nears, HKIFF’s tribute to Louis Koo is set to be a cinematic knockout—part nostalgia trip, part victory lap. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just love a good action flick, this is one spotlight you won’t want to miss. Hong Kong’s ready to roll the film—Lights! Camera! Koo!
