Presented by the Film Programmes Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, "!NSPIRE Series: TogetherApartTogether" will screen seven works exploring topics such as solitude, alienation, separation and reunion from different perspectives. The films will be shown from September 22 to October 16 at the Cinema of the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) and Emperor Cinemas iSQUARE (EC).
Directed by Spike Jonze, "Her" (2013) gives a portrayal of the connection between artificial beings and living souls in the near future. The film features a divorced and desolate letter writer, who develops a relationship with an AI system whose considerate character touches his lonely heart. The film won Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards 2014.
In Jean-Pierre Dardenne and Luc Dardenne's "The Kid with a Bike" (2011), Cyril's father vanishes suddenly and leaves behind only a bike. Feeling alienated and abandoned, Cyril becomes irritable and restless, and is determined to reconnect with his missing father in his own way. Later, a hairdresser offers to look after Cyril, and her care for him lets him feel love again. The film won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival 2011 and Best Screenwriter at the European Film Awards 2011.
Samuel Kishi Leopo's "Los Lobos" (2019) follows two children, brothers Max and Leo, who are forced to stay inside their tiny room when their mother goes to work. They are asked to follow a family rule, "Never step out of the house". The window in the room is the only medium for Max and Leo to connect with the outside world, so they have to make good use of their time and space through imagination, which is imbued with children's fun. The film won the Grand Prix of the International Jury in Generation Kplus at the Berlin International Film Festival 2020.
Having lost her composer husband and daughter in a car accident, Julie in "Three Colours: Blue" (1993), directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski, grapples with sorrow by cutting herself off from all social relations, even her past life, to release her emotions. However, the music, along with her late husband's unfinished pieces connecting her with his legacy, keeps coming back, which seems to remind Julie of what to do. The film won the Golden Lion for best film as well as the best actress and best cinematography prizes at the Venice Film Festival 1993.
Ang Lee's "Eat Drink Man Woman" (1994) tells of a retired master, chef Chu, who takes great pleasure in preparing a mouth-watering gourmet banquet every weekend he can gather with his three daughters. But when his second daughter suddenly announces that she is going to move out, the hidden problems of this family are brought to the surface. Chef Chu, who has long been trying to maintain the family's harmony through the weekly banquet, begins to feel powerless. The film won Best Feature Film and Best Editing at the Asia-Pacific Film Festival 1994.
"The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp" (1943), directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, centres on the deep friendship between a British officer and a German officer that endures over decades. Even as the duo become enemies during wartime, their friendship stands the test of time. The film was named among the Top Ten Films of the National Board of Review of the US in 1945.
In Leo McCarey's "An Affair to Remember" (1957), a celebrated playboy is getting married but finds himself immediately attracted to a beautiful, elegant and also engaged socialite on a cruise trip. The lovers promise to meet again at the Empire State Building in six months, but only if the spark still remains. The film was named among the 100 Years… 100 Passions of the American Film Institute in 2002.
To complement the screenings, curator Kiki Fung together with five guest curators, namely Janice Poon, Samson Fan, Fung Lap-wing, Chiu Siu-ning and Luke Fung, as well as film critic Lau Yam will speak at a seminar at 4pm on October 10 at the HKFA, exploring "togetherness" from disciplines such as dramaturgy, theology, education, psychiatry, sociology of food and film criticism. It will be conducted in Cantonese with free admission. Post-screening talks will also be arranged for some of the screenings.
In addition, the Film Programmes Office will organise two campaigns, "Click & Share!" and "Audience Pick", to interact with film buffs. The "Click & Share!" photo-sharing campaign invites participants to send in a photo that best matches the memorable quotes of the films featured in the programme. Participants can email the photos to fpo.enquiry@gmail.com or upload them to forms.gle/mVKknAq4QfSdCMkS7 from today until 11.59pm on September 10. The Film Programmes Office will select the best matched ones and show them in a short after editing.
Participants of "Audience Pick" can vote for one of six films, namely "Port of Shadows" (1938), "Il Sorpasso" (1962), "The Odd Couple" (1968), "A Woman Under the Influence" (1974), "And Life Goes On" (1992) and "Still Walking" (2008), as the one that best resonates with viewers. The voting will take place at forms.gle/TLnex9b5nYAewNTD6 from today until 11.59pm on September 19. The most picked film will be screened at 7pm on October 10 at the HKFA. Voters of the winning film may have a chance to receive two complimentary tickets for the film.
All films have Chinese and English subtitles.
Tickets for HKFA screenings priced at $60 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk); for credit card telephone bookings, please call 2111 5999. Those for EC screenings priced at $80 are now available at the website of EC (www.emperorcinemas.com). For details of the screenings, "Click & Share!" and "Audience Pick", please call 2734 2900 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/listing.html?id=24.
In view of the latest situation of COVID-19, audiences should take note of the latest service arrangements for screening venues, admission and seating to be implemented. For details, please call 2734 2900 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/ticketing.html?id=24.
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