Discoveries from Hong Kong SAR China World Cinema

A story of an illicit affair between a young, talented and successful violinist and a popular singer.

She is a teacher of Chinese literature, reciting poems and recounting the brilliance of ancient Chinese poets before a class of students whose common parlance is foul language. He is a hormone-charged teenager who makes a paper plane for the teacher from a torn textbook page doodled with drawings of the object of his fantasy. She is a divorcee whose husband was rumoured to have an affair with a student in his school. With partly fascination and partly curiosity, he starts making suggestive remarks in class and stalking her outside the school, rattling her with flirtation. Both carrying a heavy load of baggage, the teacher and her student are about to ignite a spark that will scorch them both.

“Please hold on...” How many of us have waited in vain for a response from the other side? Dawn’s day begins when the sun sets, driving her customers to their destinations, including the softspoken Sunny. Something not to be spoken of weighs heavy between them, and the nightly trip always ends with them going their separate ways home. As Dawn navigates difficultly through her troubled past, she continues to dial the same number that always fails to connect. One night, her call is finally answered. Be it chance or miracle, will Dawn be able to let go of her past?

An old security guard just finishes his last day on the job at the Tai Po Industrial Estate. Given a bag of flour by the capitalist employer as a parting gift, the security guard falls off from the bicycle. Entering his final days just like the city, the only person waiting for him is a son who could barely talk.

In order to fulfill the expectation of her mom and her grandpa, Nam is raised as a boy since she was born. She dresses like a boy every day before going to school, gets changed back to a girl’s uniform, and puts on a boy’s outfit before heading home. Her hysterical mom anticipates the return of her husband, which is a dream never come true. Nam finds her only shelter at her childhood friend Yeung’s house, a place where she can finally be herself, i.e. doing laundry for her underwear. But her life changes on the day when Yeung disappears.

Hong Kong comedy horror from 1953.

Early Shaw Brothers Cantonese musical

Two strangers who share the same daily commute spend a tantalizing night together wandering around the city streets of Hong Kong.

A documentary team takes on an expedition to an exotic country in Southeast Asia in search of paranormal phenomena. What they never expected is a horrifying journey with encounters of unexplained occurrences. Led by a notable parapsychologist, the encounters are so gruesome and hone chilling beyond what they can bear, ranging from paranormal phenomenon such as poltergeist, exorcism, haunted house to supernatural force like witchcraft, spells, voodoo, curse, tec. Based on Hong Kong Cable TV’s popular paranormal phenomena program of the same name, “The Unbelievable” is a documentary-style movie that throws the audiences to the twilight zone…and beyond! Rated Category III for its shocking scenes of horror, violence and nudity, the reality program-turned-movie features extreme content that makes the TV version look tame in comparison. I’m a fan of the HK TV program. If you like paranormal stuff, check this out!

From Boat People (1982) to Our Time Will Come (2017), from family struggles to anti-Japanese history, Venice Career Golden Lion-winning auteur Ann Hui finally films a topic she holds most dear – poetry. Through her personal encounters with some of Hong Kong’s most notable poets, Hui shows the topography of contemporary poetry on and of the city. Two poles of reality, the unrestrained Huang Canran and the cosmopolitan Liu Wai-tong, are juxtaposed to reveal two distinctively different personalities, ideals, and ways of life. Seeing the late Xi Xi recite her own poem about the old Kai Tak Airport is a deeply heart-warming moment.

The film traces the life and times of Esther Eng, a San Francisco native known as Hong Kong’s first “directress.” She directed 10 Cantonese talkies.

Emperor Chin invaded smaller neighboring kingdoms. The crown prince of Yin visits Emperor Chin, who uses a 'beauty trap' to hold the crown prince as a hostage. With the help of his wife, Prince Yin escapes. He plans to assassinate Emperor Chin. Fan Yu Kei recommends King Or. In order to carry out his dangerous assignment, King Or kills his own family to relieve himself of all cares. Finally, King Or fails in his mission.

Ghost story (originally released in parts 1 & 2) based on a Chinese opera.

Like a cactus, a marriage is expected to last but not without a few prickly details. While the bride's mother is in bliss over her elder daughter's upcoming marriage, the bride's sister is doubtful after witnessing the groom on the street with another woman. As the bride discovers her fiance's affair, the torrent of events prompts a pointed conversation between the three women, highlighting their contrasted views on marriage and fidelity. The bride is veering towards a meltdown while her sister grows more skeptical of marriage.

Sangwoodgoon was founded in the Anti-High Speed Rail Movement and Tsoi Yuen Village Movement in 2009. In 2012, Sangwoodgoon tries cultivating rice for the second time. This film records the rice planting process in spring and Dragon Boat Festival. Not only did the director experience the unpredictable nature of weather, questions for his companion are raised at the same time: How is the life as a farmer in Hong Kong when there is shortage of land and labour? Apart from documenting the non-traditional rice cultivating techniques, the film also wants to discuss about the relationship between farmer and nature, and the changing state of mind of protestors all the way through.

Another cut-and-paste action flick from IFD Films, this one splices together scenes from the Taiwanese film "Underground Wife" aka "Kill Butterfly Kill" with new footage featuring actor Mike Abbott and a bunch of other doofuses.

As gangster boss Cole continues his violent rivalry with the White Ninja, an interpol agent appears on the scene to try and put a stop to their antics.

Premiered in Hong Kong in 2014, “Art School Musical” has toured to 8 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Chongqing, Xiamen, Zhuhai, Macau and Taipei. This screening version was recorded during the tour in Taipei in 2016. It’s Zhu Yingtai’s dream to study art in university. She believes it’s the perfect path to achieve her values and goals. Zhu’s parents, however, do not support her daughter’s decision. Instead, they want Zhu to study business at a top university, forcefully imposing their will on her. Having no choice but to run away from her home, Zhu manages to enter an art school as she wishes. There, she meets Liang Shanbo.

Pettonton goes to Hong Kong! Pettonton is a green mysterious space alien, discarded on Earth by an UFO. The story depicts how he became best friends with Negita, and various other experiences with other friends. Using mysterious items like the “friendship ring”, which grants wisdom to whoever holds it, or the “time stick” which can stop time, they overcome difficult situations.

Composed of three stories based on true events in real life. The theme is to examine human nature with alternative perspectives ── how the tortured, rejected and distorted souls, exposed to miserable circumstances, struggle to find a way-out. Marriage Sans Frontieres. When a transsexual becomes a homosexual. Born male, Terrence claims to have a female soul. After coming out, he breaks up with his girlfriend and behaves as a woman. Then she begins searching for love that transcends the borders between male & female. Sin World. A story based on a terrifying true event in Hong Kong. An adolescent decided to save his mother and sister, by killing them. Surprisingly, the murderer was unexpectedly calm with no regrets, and claimed that the world has too many sinners. CRY2. A girl was kidnapped by a man whose behavior resembles that of animal. Locked up in a warehouse, she became lunatic after being raped and tortured, her subconscious state deeply ruined as she can never escape in reality.

A CIA operative in Hong Kong must become a Ninja in order to retrieve a stolen Top Technical Secret Film from a Clan of Ninjas sent by the KGB.

Set in Hong Kong, Eya is a shy teen who takes writing as a way to escape alienation, bullying and loneliness. On the school fun day Eya remains silent in the interview, but she is not the only one who finds life is too hard to bear. Everything is changed that morning.

Having stumbled upon a crazy sex video featuring his girlfriend and her ex-boyfriend, and his perception of sex and love overturned by a sexy camgirl, a young man found himself in the world of live streaming.

Plot Unknown.

The traditional image of a father is full of masculine charm—strong, brave, and proud—with the male eagle as its symbol. In the post-modern understanding of gender roles, how has the totem animal of a father evolved? Joan returns to Hong Kong to play matchmaker for her father, who happens to be afflicted by a foot injury and is taken care of by the mysterious Kit. Moreover, her father keeps avoiding her matchmaking attempts, leading Joan to suspect that he and Kit are harbouring a secret from her. Award-winning stage actor Simon LO teams up with What If (2025) actors Ernesto DE SOUSA and NG Wing-sze in this magical realist short film about family. The director fills the film with animal symbolism, adding a touch of colour to the gender spectrum.

A fictional story about Cao Cao based on Luo Guanzhong 's historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms take on the real historical figure.

The Kunlun swordsmen carries out a rescue mission to save the little boy who has been abducted by the evil monk. Eager to take revenge on the Kunlun Sect and carry on with his plot to cause chaos, the evil monk seeks help from his fellow brother who uses sorcery to shrink people.

Experimental short made by Terry Tong in 1976. Taking the form of chess animation, the film is accompanied by a Chinese musical score of the same title. It expresses the confrontation and antagonism between two armies.

Plot Unknown.

Nurse Lin is hired by a wealthy family to care for Mr. Kao, who has lost his mind since his daughter, Ling Kuan, died. As Lin resembles Ling Kuan, her nanny asks Lin to impersonate her to help Mr. Kao recover, which works well. Lin then uncovers a secret: Ling Kuan had loved a music teacher, Qiufan, but her cousin, Yiu Tong, envious of Mr. Kao’s wealth, slandered Qiufan. One night, Yiu Tong attacked Qiufan and attempted to assault Ling Kuan, accidentally killing her. To cover up the crime, he staged her death as a suicide. Later, Nurse Lin and Qiufan, pretending to be ghosts, trick Yiu Tong into confessing. In a panic, Yiu Tong escapes, but his mistress Huigu causes a fire that kills them both. Disheartened by the truth and his burning home, Mr. Kao walks into the flames.

An early Drama by the Daai Wa (Da Hua) Film Company

A documentary about writer and novelist Liu Yichang.

Acting is not always a life of glamour and excitement, and is often filled with sweat and tears. Devoted actor Gus is crushed when he fails to cry on cue. As self-doubt sinks in, he hears that his father has suffered a sunstroke. He decides to help at his father’s company and cast his dream aside. When his friend Mo offers him a role in a new film, he declines but not before Mo shoves him the script. When he starts to read the script at night, he is amazed to find that the plot is identical to the events around him. In the realm of a dream-like script or a script-like dream, Gus ponders his life as an actor and finds his own direction.

Behind Mongkok’s Portland Street where French music plays in cute little artsy cafés, the back alley is a totally different world. Sister Kam washes dishes in the alley every night. She fights with the workers at the rubbish collection point and proudly boasts to the waiters how she could slaughter a pig on her own. She works till midnight and gets up at 5:30am, day after day. In the thousands of alleys in Hong Kong, stories that speak of life’ struggles wait to be told.

Bruce is hired by the CIA and the Chinese police to break up a major international drug ring.

A homeless man works as a bounty hunter of pets and missing persons on the side. Sleeping rough on the streets for eight years and counting, he is by no means a do-gooder bent on saving the helpless but is simply eking out a meagre existence in a society that turns a blind eye to individuals like him and renders them invisible. One day, the sighting of one such misper turns into a debacle, and the man hunter finds himself the unlikely saviour of the runaway. Yet beggars can’t be choosers and survivors should never be apologetic for putting their own well-being first. Still, it begs the question: As a society we are judged by how we treat the most vulnerable. And what does that make us, having failed so miserably collectively?

17-year-old Eric follows his parents to immigrate to Canada and is thus forced to confront different emotional and cultural problems. He must not only adjust to the new environment, but also come to terms with his homosexuality. Standing at the brink of adulthood, he encounters a series of potential romantic interests - his handsome cousin, a schoolmate, a middle aged lawyer and finally a kitchen helper. They represent different stages in Eric's development, from infatuation, sex, love to a sense of responsibility.

Drama from Hong Kong directed by Mok Hong-See.

How Hung Ming Thrice Defeated Chow Yu

Hong Kong movie

"Among the many filmmakers who immigrated to Hong Kong after WWII was theater tycoon Jiang Boying, who established the company Great China in 1946, inviting fellow migrants to work on the first post-war Mandarin films of Hong Kong. Their hearts still anchored in Shanghai, they made films catered to the mainland market, with production modes of the former glory days. Fan Peilin, a virtuoso in musicals, was invited south to make Orioles Banished from the Flowers, dying in the crash of the returning flight. The only two films Fan made in Hong Kong–the other one Song of the Songstress–are thus his last. Both star the singing-acting superstar Zhou Xuan. In this MusCom–musical comedy–Zhou plays not the hapless songstress but a vivacious, willful youngster, rollicking between a young man and his girlfriend, resulting in a series of embarrassing but amusing situations. A remarkable sample of transplanted Shanghai-style entertainment."-- Hong Kong Film Archive

Master Szeto is back and, with his mostly fearless crew in tow, he traipses across Asia in search of the supernatural. What he finds will either amuse or insult you, or perhaps both. But will it entertain you? That indeed is a mystery for us all. To find out how this reviewer fared, read on…if you dare.

A man kills his wife then frames his sister-in-law for the murder.

Taiwan movie

Taiwan movie

Fukushima used to be a wonderful place. Unfortunately, since March 11, 2011, "Fukushima" has been superseded by another name: Nuclear Disaster Zone. Six years have passed, but over 80,000 Fukushima residents still cannot return home, still cannot return to their former lives. How did they get through it? Reconstruction work is slow. Several years on, surrounding the site of the Fukushima nuclear incident, there remain many refuge-seeking residents whose homes are still in lockdown. In the streets, people are taking it to their own hands to save their communities. Psychologically and practically, how does one rebuild? Does the civil society's self-rescue mission conclude in recovering what was lost, or in reviving an even better community? In their eyes, what is "revival"? What is the meaning of "rebirth"? Our crew went all over the coastal areas of Fukushima, recording stories of residents each finding their own ways to save themselves.

Hong Kong horror movie from 1961.

The 2005 World Trade Conference in Hong Kong was the starting point of the "direct action" that emerged from the Hong Kong protest movement. It was also the first time the Hong Kong police used a large number of tear-gas and beanbag rounds on the street after the 1967 riots. Outside the conference, there were many Hong Kong protestors. Why and how did they get involved in this movement centered on Korean farmers?

During a night when Mei Liang and his girlfriend, Sima Qiu-Hong are on the same stage during a play for the Dajiang Theater Company, they receive a visit from Qiu-Hong's former classmate, Xie Yu-Lan. Under Yu-Lan's insistence, Mei Liang decides to break up with Qiu-Hong.

Rick was kicked out of his home because of his homosexuality, and takes refuge in the home of his friend Mark. Living under the same roof, these youths realize they have more in common than they thought. But will it lead to heartwarming or heartbreak?

A 50's Chinese film that reflects the post-war society, expresses idealism and pleads to return to the homeland.

In such a difficult situation in Hong Kong agriculture, to local farmers, before expecting a good harvest, they have to first overcome the problems caused by agricultural policy implementation, land policy and urban development in Hong Kong. This film is about three middle-aged local organic farmers and their farming stories: A peasant leader, who faces political infiltration in organization, decides to quit and focuses on his farming; a rural woman who fights against North East New Territories development plan and taking care of her sick husband at the same time, decides to combine family life with her home farming; a sixty years old truck driver who decides to have a career change, trying to live a fearless and free life as a farmer.

A young nurse meets a tourist from Hong Kong at Angkor Wat, and they fall in love. Later, they encounter each other again, with the nurse in the Cambodian Army and the tourist as a war reporter.

Hong Kong movie

Law Hing is forced by her stepmother to marry the dumb son of the Tang family. Another girl Au To is forced to marry Ma Siu-fuk, son of the rich Ma family, to pay off her father's debts. On the wedding day, To's lover See Fuk-chau returns from Vietnam. Deeply in love with Fuk-chau, To decides to go to the Ma family to decline the arranged marriage. To avoid the Ma elders and her father from losing face, she begs Siu-fuk to stage a pretended marriage. As the wedding ceremonies proceed, To's bridal sedan collides with Hing's in the street. The carriers lock in a row and a confusion reigns in which the brides take the wrong sedans. To is mistakenly taken to the Tang family, while Hing is sent to the Ma family. Although Siu-fuk is attracted to Hing, he agrees to send her home. The four families attempt to settle the case in court. The judge rules that the previous arrangements are but trades and declares them null and void. Fuk-chau and To can now fulfill their wish.