Fantasy animation, an LGBTQ+ thriller and a pole-dancing drama are among the films from Hong Kong and China being introduced to buyers at Filmart.
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All Wishes Come True!
Dir. Mu Zhengyang
Mu’s animated directing debut is inspired by well-known Chinese legend The Eight Immortals Crossing The Sea. The fantasy comedy is about eight characters of humble origins who beat their divine opponents through courage and intelligence, proving mortals can outwit the gods. It is backed by Beijing-based Pearl Studio (formerly Oriental Dreamworks, with credits including Kung Fu Panda 3) and CMC Pictures. A local release is scheduled for the summer.
Contact CMC Pictures
Bird Of Paradise
Dir. Joey Wu
This feature-directing debut focuses on a devoted housewife whose priorities have always been her husband and son, until she discovers a whole new world through pole dancing. Catherine Chau, Peter Chan Charm-Man and Elaine Jin lead the cast. The project is backed by Hong Kong Film Development Council’s First Feature Film Initiative funding programme. Hong Kong director Wu has worked as an art specialist in advertising, while producer Saville Chan’s credits include The Way We Dance and A Light Never Goes Out.
Contact Winnie Chan, Mei Ah Entertainment
Demon Agent
Dir. Cheng Teng
This 3D animation is set in Chang’an, capital of the Tang Dynasty, where humans and demons live side-by-side. A sharp-tongued young man who dreams of becoming the city’s top detective finds an unlikely investigation partner in a wolf boy, when a bizarre murder case brings the pair together. It is produced by Shenzhen Qianwanjian Pictures and scheduled for a summer release. Cheng is co-director of 2020’s Jiang Ziya, and his 2014 UCLA student film Higher Sky won the Silver Award in the animation short category at the Student Academy Awards.
Contact Beijing Monar Films
The Excreman — On The Road
Dir. Brian Tse
Hong Kong director Tse’s latest animation has a colossal poo as the central character, who battles a plumber in the sewers before starting a new life in the human world. Tse has previously developed seven animated features based on the popular McDull character, including My Life As McDull, which won best feature at Annecy in 2003. The Excremen will be presented at the HKIFF Industry Project Market at Filmart. Tse’s longtime collaborator Samuel Choy serves as producer.
Contact On The Road Studio
GG Bond: Race Through Time
Dir. Gu Yanmei
The 11th instalment in the family-friendly GG Bond animated film franchise is set in a futuristic world of extreme racing where GG Bond and Star Navi travel back in time to alter the fate of the latter’s father, a racing champion who suffered severe nerve damage. This marks the first appearance of Star Navi in a GG Bond film after becoming a popular character in its TV series in mainland China. The Winsing Animation production is scheduled for release in May.
Contact Winsing Animation
Good Trip
Dirs. Norris Wong, Wong Hoi
Starring Nick Cheung and Chung Suet Ying, this Hong Kong comedy drama follows a film assistant who sneaks her dying father out of hospital to fulfil his last wish for an impromptu trip to Japan. Mabel Cheung serves as producer for Wong, winner of best new director at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her 2019 debut My Prince Edward, and Wong Hoi, who produced Wong’s second feature The Lyricist Wannabe. Backed by Hong Kong Film Development Council’s Directors’ Succession Scheme, Good Trip is presented at the HKIFF Industry Project Market at Filmart.
Contact Tango For Four Production
June
Dir. Wang Yang
Inspired by her 2014 award-winning short The Little Violinist, Yang’s feature-directing debut stars Aaron Kwok as a chef in New York’s Chinatown who adopted a baby girl two decades earlier and raised her as his own. She is now an aspiring cellist, who starts to uncover a mysterious past when he falls seriously ill, turning their lives upside down. The cast also includes Vivi Miao, Maggie Cheung Ho Yee and Liu Wai Hung. Backers are First Strong Workshop and Tianjin Tianying Film and Culture Media.
Contact 66cc Company Limited
Peng Hu
Dir. Soi Cheang
The Chinese title of this historical war epic refers to the Battle of Penghu, a decisive naval war fought in 1683 during the Qing dynasty. Admiral Shi Lang leads his warships to invade Penghu, assigned by Emperor Kangxi to eradicate the last loyalists from the previous Ming dynasty. The cast is led by Wang Xueqi, Jackson Yee and Du Jiang, with Filmko Film’s Wang Haifeng producing. Hong Kong director Cheang is known for action extravaganza Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In.
Contact Blossoms Entertainment
The Tipsy Girl
Dir. Tracy Choi
Girlfriends director Choi’s latest film is a China-Macao-Hong Kong collaboration. Set in Macao, the female-focused drama revolves around a dispirited student who teams up with her unorthodox university lecturer for a startup competition. They choose to brew craft beer infused with the flavour of Portuguese custard tarts, sparking a journey of personal growth and healing. The cast includes Gigi Leung, rising star Natalie Hsu (a two-time best actress nominee at the Hong Kong Film Awards) and Yan Xujia. Backers include Pearl River Film Group, 1220 Film Production, Entertaining Power and Sunfire Pictures.
Contact Grace Chan, Entertaining Power
Winter And Summer
Dir. Sun Xiaohang
This comedy follows a struggling divorced man from China’s northeast region who is lured to invest in a real-estate project, dreaming of a payout to take his son to see whales at an ocean park — but things do not go to plan. The cast includes Qiao Shan, Chang Yuan and Francis Ng. The film, scheduled for release in Q2, marks the directing debut of scriptwriter Sun, whose credits include box-office hits Crazy Alien and Breakup Buddies.
Contact Alice Leung, iQiyi
50th Hong Kong International Film Festival
The Dating Menu
Dirs. Amos Why, Frankie Chung
Following his well-received Far Far Away, director Why returns with a bittersweet romantic comedy in which a private chef books four dates through dating apps, cooking each a unique meal as he embarks on an unknown future in Hong Kong and Taiwan. A new generation of Hong Kong actors lead the cast, which includes Lo Chun Yip, Rachel Leung, Renci Yeung and Kearen Pang. The film marks the first directing credit for Chung, who previously produced Everyphone Everywhere for Why.
Contact Golden Scene
The Path Of Soul
Dir. Cheuk Cheung
Cheuk’s latest doc is a Hong Kong-Japan production about Noh, a traditional Japanese theatre performed by masked male actors. While only men are traditionally allowed to perform, Hikaru Uzawa comes from a long line of Noh masters. She and her mother Hisa are the only mother-and-daughter pair in the Noh community. Hong Kong director Cheuk has directed three documentaries about Chinese opera, including 2019’s Bamboo Theatre, for which he was named artist of the year at the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards.
Contact Pica Pica Media
We’re Nothing At All
Dir. Herman Yau
Through his production banner The Plan Company, this LGBTQ+ thriller is fully financed and produced by veteran Hong Kong director Yau, better known for commercial hits such as the Shock Wave franchise. The story follows a retired forensic investigator who takes on the case of a fatal double-decker bus explosion and uncovers the tragic romance of a marginalised gay couple who are pushed to the brink by society. The cast includes Patrick Tam Yiu-man, Anson Kong from boyband Mirror and Ansonbean.
Contact Golden Scene
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