There’s no denying that Hong Kong’s film industry is a far cry from its heyday in the ’80s and ’90s, when homegrown stars and directors were the toast of Asia. Today, the landscape of the industry has morphed to become almost unrecognisable – locally-made, lowbrow comedies compete with Hollywood superhero blockbusters for the attention of Hongkongers, while the formerly monolithic talents from that golden age have focused their filmmaking efforts towards the vast mainland Chinese market in hopes of a financial windfall (as in the case of Stephen Chow’s 1999 hyper-local smash hit, King of Comedy, of which the recently released sequel now stars an entirely mainland Chinese cast).
Thankfully, the nominees for the Hong Kong Film Awards 2019 have no shortage of local flavour, and show signs of promise for a continuing artistic revival. Among the contenders, there is a strong representation of first-time filmmakers vying against more commercially-oriented films, alongside veterans of the Hong Kong Second Wave movement such as Fruit Chan. Alternative viewpoints of Hong Kong society and artistic experimentation are common themes, as illustrated by Tracey (a transgender drama) and Still Human (a heartwarming look at the city’s domestic helpers).
Here, we take a look at two of the nominated films yet to receive a wide theatrical release this month, and what they mean for the state of the industry. Stay tuned for the winners to be announced at the official awards ceremony on April 14.
G Affairs
Having picked up several accolades on the festival circuit, first-time filmmaker Lee Cheuk-pan’s G Affairs is already a strong contender with six nominations including Best New Performer and Best Cinematography. This mystery thriller charts the intertwined fates of a gifted student, a melancholic cellist, an autistic teenager, an amoral police officer, a prostitute, a teacher and a dog upon the discovery of a human head, while serving as an exploration of the city’s fraying social fabric due to an overreaching government and the oppression of dissent. Meanwhile, fresh-faced newcomer Hanna Chan takes the lead role in her second film, proving to be a talented actress beyond her years. Opens March 14.
Three Husbands
With four nominations including Best Film and Best Director, Three Husbands follows 2000’s Durian Durian and 2001’s Hollywood Hong Kong to become the last instalment of maverick filmmaker Fruit Chan’s ‘Prostitute Trilogy,’ which offers poignant commentary on Hong Kong’s shifting status since the 1997 Handover. Chloe Maayan plays Mui, a mostly mute nymphomaniac prostitute working on a junk boat in Aberdeen who is pimped out by her two husbands, Big Brother (Mak Keung) and Second Brother (Chan Man-lei). Soon, construction worker Four Eyes (Chan Charm-man) falls in love and elopes with Mui, although even he eventually returns her to the junk boat so he can also take a cut of her business. A satire that starts out comedic but quickly devolves into explicit allegory, viewers won’t be hard pressed to find the symbolism with Hong Kong’s exploitation by various colonial powers and China in the modern day. Opens March 28.
Editor
Gavin YeungCredit
Header image: Scout Pictures
