Hong Kong Fringe Club | Fringe Festival 26: Andrew's Pick of Local Films

Description

A grand screening event featuring seven popular films is about to unfold! From the conflict between tradition and the times, to the struggle against life's adversities, and on to family ties, love-hate entanglements, and the path to redemption, each film delves deeply into the complexities of human nature and the spirit of the age.
 
At the post-screening Q&A with the directors, you'll not only have the chance to interact closely with industry professionals and freely discuss the stories and thoughts behind the films, but there will also be a Q&A session where you can interact directly with the directors!
 
Plus, enjoy a 10% discount when you purchase tickets for 3 or more sessions—don't miss out!
 
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Selected Films:
 
Winter Song
Canny Tsang (Story of a River) continues her lifelong contemplation on home and reunion in this 2014 film, once again turning her lens to her hometown of Ho Chung Village. This time, she documents the village's Tai Ping Ching Chiu Festival, a decade-long event that draws villagers back from far and wide. But what will happen when the world is struck by a global pandemic? And in the context of the immense changes in Hong Kong and Tsang's own life, her latest work is filled with melancholy and wistfulness in her letters home.
 
Cheung: Wings of Hope
Cheung was born with cerebral palsy due to birth asphyxia and has been paralyzed for life. He spent his childhood in a public housing estate without an elevator. In the first 11 years of his life, he never left home. When he felt lonely, he chatted with the rats that came to look for food.
 
He says his later life was full of 'adventures'. He started primary school at the age of 12. In his 20s, he took the secondary school graduation exam, writing with one hand and his lips. He became Hong Kong's first wheelchair-using insurance agent. His mother, who carried him on her back to school and exams, taught him perseverance.
 
Determined to be self-reliant, Cheung strives to find freedom in his own way. He passed away in March 2022, leaving behind an unfulfilled dream: to build a library managed by people with disabilities.
 
This film is the directorial debut of So Ka-yu, with Oscar-winning documentary director Michelle Yeoh as creative and executive producer.
 
Compliance
The Hung Hom district in the heart of Hong Kong is full of contradictions. The deceased are sent to a nearby funeral home, while the living hustle and bustle on the streets. The rich live in mansions towering over soon-to-be-demolished dilapidated buildings, while the poor struggle to survive amid construction waste and debris, barely scraping by. Shot over five years, Wong Siu-pong's latest documentary captures the rise and fall of this neighborhood, prompting reflection on what truly constitutes garbage in a city where waste disposal is an ever-growing concern.
 
Everyone Can Use a Smartphone
Set in Hong Kong in 2022, the story takes place on the 25th anniversary of Hong Kong's return and the 25th anniversary of the graduation of three classmates. Director Ho Peng-pai records the unusual day of these three classmates and their complex relationship with their smartphones: one forgets to bring their phone, another's phone is hacked, and the third keeps receiving strange messages. And the fourth protagonist is none other than the city of Hong Kong itself.
 
Montage of a Modern Mother
Shu-ching's life is turned upside down with the birth of her daughter. The once peaceful days are now a whirlwind of childcare, with her husband never offering to share the burden. Conflicts with her in-laws, post-partum body changes, and declining work performance pile on the pressure... Where will Lai Ming Joseph's arrival lead her after those long and lonely breastfeeding nights?
 
Valley of the Shadow of Death
Pastor Leung's daughter is raped and commits suicide. Years later, the rapist is released from prison and joins Pastor Leung's church.
What will the pastor do? Will he forgive or seek revenge?
 
Dad
Cafe owner Ning's tranquil life is shattered. One night, his 15-year-old son, Ming, brutally murders his mother and sister. Diagnosed with acute schizophrenia, Ming is institutionalized indefinitely until he recovers. Aside from visiting his son twice a month, Ning leads a mundane life, yet his mind is flooded with memories of his wife, daughter, and son. As time passes, Ning gives up on uncovering the reasons behind the tragedy. He only hopes that one day, Ming—his only kin and the murderer of his family—can return to him.