“!NSPIRE Series 2024: Lingnan Images – A Cinematic Crossover of 4 Cities” to examine cultural landscape of Lingnan (with photos)

     The Film Programmes Office (FPO) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present "!NSPIRE Series 2024: Lingnan Images – A Cinematic Crossover of 4 Cities" from November 23 to January 19 next year, screening films that cover the period from the reform and opening-up to date from Hong Kong, Macao, Shenzhen and Guangzhou at Hong Kong City Hall and the Hong Kong Film Archive. Exchange and workshop sessions will also be held to promote the collaboration of filmmakers of the four cities.
 
     The opening film "Ah Ying" (1983) was directed by Hong Kong new wave director Allen Fong. The film was the winner of Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Film, Best Director and Best Film Editing. It delicately depicts the story between Ah Ying, who works at a market fish stall, and her acting mentor, who has also become her friend.
 
     Various selected films illustrate the cultural impact and exchanges in different times. Renowned actor Chow Yun-fat plays a village chief in "Now You See Love… Now You Don't" (1992). The clash between the lifestyles and ways of thinking of him and his childhood sweetheart returning from abroad, played by Carol "Do Do" Cheng, leads to scene after scene of hilarious comedy. "Little Cheung" (1999) depicts the livelihood of ordinary people from the perspective of children, who are able to find peace and hope in the midst of chaos with their innocence. "Ip Man – The Final Fight" (2013) and "Knitting" (2008) both reflect on how immigrants adapt to their new lives. The former tells the story of Ip Man, who upholds the virtues of Lingnan martial arts while facing the setbacks that come with his relocation to Hong Kong. The latter depicts the evolution of Guangzhou culture amid an influx of workers from outside, resulting in a mixture of northern and southern influences.
 
     There are also films portraying the confusion that urbanites face. Directed by Philip Yung, "Glamorous Youth" (2009) tells the story of a Hong Kong boy moving to Shenzhen to escape from family pressure and love problems, yet still finding himself trapped in the mundane routines of life. "Sun and Rain" (1987), directed by Zhang Zeming, illustrates the alienation and love between people in a city through a love quadrangle. "Damp Season" (2020) depicts the stress lingering in the lives of the working class in Shenzhen, like the dampness and humidity often found in spring. Both set in Guangzhou, "Eight Diagrams" (2009) is a dark comedy about the desire and sadness of urbanites, while "Something in Blue" (2016) is a travelogue of a city that brings together the unremarkable daily lives of four young people.
 
     Some of the selected films bring the cityscapes to the forefront. "Dot 2 Dot" (2014) traces the present and past of Hong Kong as a man and a woman with contrasting backgrounds navigate through the streets of the city. In "San Yuan Li" (2003) and "Cop Shop II" (2011), the Guangzhou cityscape and its changes through time are respectively illustrated with images and sounds.
　
     Two distinctive works from Macao will also be screened. Both of them are combinations of six stories. "Macau Stories 2: Love in the City" (2011) consists of six stories about love by six directors, while "Passing Rain" (2017), by director and screenwriter Chan Ka-keong, tells the stories of six characters with intertwined plotlines.
 
     Moreover, two collections consisting of seven short films in total on the history, societies and cultures of the Lingnan region will be screened. The films are "Miasma, Plants, Export Paintings" (2017), "Fonting the City" (2015), "Sons of the Land" (2007), "14 Paintings" (2023), "Real Talk" (2024), "An Asian Ghost Story" (2023) and "Fear and Trembling" (2009).

     Some of the screenings will be accompanied by post-screening talks, hosted by actor Hui So-ying, screenwriters Sze Yeung-ping and Mabel Cheung, producer Albert Chu, and directors Wong Teng-teng and Chan Ka-keong. To enable audiences to have a better understanding of the creation of films, there will be seminar screening sessions and exchange sessions. Three sessions of seminar screenings, entitled "The Spirit of Films about Intellectuals", "Lingnan's Secret Thoughts in Mind" and "The Current Situation of Macao Cinema", will be held in which directors Gan Xiao'er, Yang Pingdao, and Wong Teng-teng and producer Albert Chu will share on their creative processes with screenings of selected film excerpts. Eight exchange sessions will also be held with filmmakers from the four cities in dialogues with each other or with film critics and audiences. Speakers include directors Yi Lichuan, Fruit Chan, Philip Yung, Herman Yau, Amos Why, and Zhang Zeming, film critic Joyce Yang and co-curators Law Kar and Feng Yu. Ticket holders of screenings with respective talks or exchange sessions will be admitted with priority, while the remaining seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis with free admission. 

     All films are with Chinese and English subtitles. "Glamorous Youth" is rated Category III and restricted to viewers aged 18 or above.

     Tickets for film screenings and seminar screening sessions priced at $70 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme details, please call 2734 2900 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp/en/listing.html?id=65.
 
     To provide an opportunity for new talent of the film industry from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao to gain a better understanding about the industry through discussions and exchanges with guidance from professional filmmakers, the FPO will hold the Brainstorming Workshop covering topics of film production, such as screenwriting, directing, cinematography, post-production, fund sourcing, producing and distribution. The workshop will be conducted in Cantonese and is free for admission, with a quota of 30 places. Film students and those who have been involved in film productions can register for selection from November 25 to December 20. Successful registrants will be invited to participate in the two-day workshop to be held on January 9 and 10 at Ko Shan Theatre. For details of the workshop, please visit the above website.
 
     This screening programme is one of the programmes of the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival. Hong Kong is the host city of the Festival for the first time, organising and co-ordinating over 260 performances and exchange activities to be held in the "9+2" cities in the Greater Bay Area. The festival aims to showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural richness of the region and foster cultural exchanges and co-operation among the cities. For more information, please visit www.gbacxlo.gov.hk./en.
 
     It is also one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.