Film Archive retrospective spotlights Jacob Cheung's humanist cinema
The Hong Kong Film Archive will screen six films by director Jacob Cheung, highlighting his humanist focus on outsiders and women. Screenings run from October 11, with tickets at $60 via Urbtix.
The Hong Kong Film Archive is launching a retrospective of director Jacob Cheung's work, showcasing his consistent humanist vision through six feature films. The programme, titled “Star Talks”, will run from October 11 and includes two of his most acclaimed titles: “The Last Eunuch of the Forbidden City” (1988) and “The Kid from Heaven” (1989).
Cheung made his directorial debut with “The Last Eunuch of the Forbidden City”, a critical and commercial success that follows a eunuch cast out of the palace after a change of dynasty. His follow-up, “The Kid from Heaven”, was nominated for Best Film and Best Screenplay at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Both films, along with the comedy “The Private Eyes 2” (1993), depict ordinary people struggling to find their place amid social and historical upheaval.
The retrospective also highlights Cheung's interest in female perspectives. “The Kid from Heaven” explores the estrangement between a mother and her emigrated daughter, while “Intimates” (1997) contrasts the lives of two generations of women. “Midnight Fly” (2001), one of Anita Yui's signature roles, portrays the unlikely bond between a woman and her husband's mistress.
The fantasy drama “The Butterfly Lovers” (2011), adapted from an online novel, sees a woman transform into a butterfly to find a cure for a pandemic in the insect world.
Tickets are priced at $60 and go on sale from Sunday, October 11, via Urbtix (www.urbtix.hk) or by phone at 3166 1288. Programme details are available at the archive's website.
