The 19th ifva Awards
Open Category Finalist Showcase
In our city, there are indeed many possibilities other than those in our mundane lives. They are either purely imaginative, or are too surreal to believe in. Sometimes the truth of the city and its dwellers behind the veils appear to be very so unsettling. Let the nine shorts to unfold all these stories in the city.

Programme 1: The City Less Known

15/3 (Sat) / 1:30pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 132' / HK$60 / $35* / With after-screening discussion

Programme 1: The City Less Known
Journey
Wong Chin-yan Doris
Col / 29' 25" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
Rachel and Ronald face the struggle between their dreams and reality in Hong Kong, so-called " the City of Dreams".
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The Echoes of Circles
Lam Kin-hung Joel
Col / 29' 00" / In Japanese, Korean and Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
The Echoes of Circles is an experimental work that transcend the conventions of narrative and non-narrative films. It plays with the possibilities that arise from the mutual influence between images, language and text.
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Invisible Rock
Chen King-yuen
Col / 23' 14" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
An endless journey of memory, dream and metafiction searching a liberation from identity struggle.
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Yeung Yeung with Cows
Wong Cheuk-man, Law Wan-i, Law Hoi-ki, Leung Wing-sze, Tang Ka-hei
Col / 24' 49" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
This is a documentary about Yeung Yeung, a woman who adopted more than a hundred stray cows since 1997, and her cows.
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Beautiful Life
Chan Ho-lun Fredie
Col / 25 ' 30" / In Cantonese and English with Chinese and English subtitles
Yayang, an Indonesian girl who works in Hong Kong, dreams to improve her life back home someday. Employed by a grassroots family, Yayang receives salary that is less than the minimum allowable wage. This puts her in the dilemma of staying or quitting…
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Programme 2:The Unsettling Truth

15/3 (Sat) / 4:45pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 109' / HK$60 / $35* / With after-screening discussion

Programme 2:The Unsettling Truth
The Little One
Tam Wai-ching
Col & B/W / 29' 17" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
He is cowardly, but is capable of self sacrifice; she is willful and fearless, but ends up selling out others to satisfy her own desires
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Sister Kam
Lo Chun-yip
Col / 23' 24" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
Such ecology prevails in every back alley of Hong Kong. Between labor and leisure, the power of life can be observed.
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God Bless All Parents
Lau Wing-tai
Col / 26' 11" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
Husband and wife attend a fair for children's products. They break out into a quarrel over a set of English learning kit worth $50,000. This scene brings out the couple's difference in parenting ethos.
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The Aqueous Truth
Chan Tze-woon
Col / 30' 00" / In Cantonese and English with Chinese and English subtitles
A group of filmmakers accidentally find out something Hong Kongers do not know, but which affects them in important ways. As they approach the truth, danger beckons.
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The 19th ifva Awards
Animation Category Finalist Showcase
Animation opens up a realm of creativity that allows for sublimation of the wildest ideas. Boundless as they seem, these ten animations actually finds their roots in real life – the real city we are living in, and real sentiments that we have all experienced.
Finalist Showcase: 22/3 (Sat) / 3:30pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 52' / HK$60 / $35* / With after-screening discussion
Tale of Rebellious Stone
Ng Kai-chung, Ng Tsz-ching
Col / 13' 21" / No dialogue and subtitles
A stone, with its unflawed surface, was carved and polished by beliefs and rules. Yet the core is raw. The more eager you try to smoothen it, the more eager it indulges itself.
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Hong Kong Station
Wong Wai-ho, Oscar Sheikh
Col / 3' 00" / No dialogue and subtitles
This work is set with the Hong Kong MTR as the background, from the late 1970s when the subway was first built to now. Through all the things that have happened on every level of the subway, the state of society from each period is brought forth. The end of the short clip brings a little bit of joy to dreary, humdrum everyday life with a lightning-fast dance performance.
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The Sweet Moment
Chan Chun-wa, Chan Chun-sing, Fung Wai-lun, Ng Wing-ting, Tsang Ka-leung
Col / 1' 48" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
This is a series of short videos to counteract the discrimination against people with psychiatric problems.
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The Crazy Pandaman
Law Man-lok (a.k.a. Lawman), Kong Khong-chang (a.k.a. Kongkee)
Col / 3' 02" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
In the old days, the streets were full of different kinds of people. There were granny who picking up cardboard, tricky boss, pushy mother, and also the legend of Pandaman. Are these childhood recollections from a little neighbourhood a figment of the imagination - or reality? We would never known. Let us listen to the story that the main character spell out gradually.
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The Untold & Unseen
Lam Ho-tak
Col / 9' 35" / No dialogue and subtitles
We work only for eating. We eat only for working. Just like a soulless machine. Ultimately, are we actually fighting for a better life or fighting for survival in this world?
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YETI
Joe Kwun
Col / 3' 00" / No dialogue and subtitles
Once, while heading up a mountain to collect some medicinal herbs, the main character YETI chanced upon a puppy, and from then on came to realize that in fact, a small action could turn into a great gift. YETI never criticised the outside world thereafter and started learning to care about others.
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Somewhere I belong
Pang Pui-yee, Tong Man-shun
Col / 3' 01" / No dialogue and subtitles
Here everyday, we worry about our careers and struggle over the sizes of our homes. Yet on the other side of planet Earth, some animals are losing their homes precisely because of our greed…
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Twins
Ho Tsz-lam
Col / 3' 00" / No dialogue and subtitles
Two twin sisters share a pair of twin teddy bears. One day, the elder sister gives her younger sister a hug and leaves home with her teddy bear. When the younger sister sees the lonesome teddy bear, she decides to find her sister with her teddy.
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Dap Pang Man
Ivana Lai Yan-in, Nic Ho Chun-yu, Grady Ng Lung-fung, Chung Wing-yee, Yu Ka-hei, Andy Ng Kai-on
Col / 9' 00" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
Every mother in the world wishes her son a successful career, yet in this story the main character Siu-Yu actually wants to become a "dap pang" worker—a bamboo-scaffolder.
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Blind Vision
Leecat Ho
Col & B/W / 3' 28" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
This is a story about blind people. How do they perceive the world? How can they live their lives in darkness? Through the camera angle of animation, the audience can experience the blind's perspective of vision—screen by screen, the "images of the eye within" of the blind are presented in this animation.
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The 19th ifva Awards
Youth Category Finalist Showcase
Youth is a shared experience of being carefree and daring. Online social networking, school activities and school bullying, first experience of love and sex, even the craziest of imagination are all captured in these ten short films which are all bold and creative attempts.
22/3 (Sat) / 12nn / agnès b. CINEMA / 103'/ HK$60 / $35* / With after-screening discussion
Instagram
Kwok Pak-chi、Ng Shu-ting
Col & B/W / 20' 00"/ In Cantonese with Chinese subtitles
What is Instagram? How do young people view it? How does it affect our lives?
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Ex
Chocola Kwok
B/W / 13' 23" / In Cantonese with Chinese subtitles
About the EX.
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Hole
Chocola Kwok
Col / 5' 16" / No dialogue and subtitles
Injury, sex, pain, addiction, infatuation, sickness.
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I am not a superhero
Jonathan Tam
Col / 21' 00" / In Cantonese and English with Chinese and English subtitles
A story about a teenage superhero's life in Hong Kong.
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Kidnap
Mok Chui-shan, Yip Tsz-ching, Kiang Tin-long, Lee Suet-ying, Yip Yuen-ting, Wong Ka-chun
Col / 7' 55" / In Cantonese with Chinese subtitles
A person gets kidnapped. He is threatened and bribed, but can he resist, or give in to the game?
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6
Chocola Kwok
Col & B/W / 1' 47" / No dialogue and subtitles
What it feels like after getting raped - the sense of having fallen.
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Yao Dao Police Call
Wong Chun-pong
Col / 14' 58" / In Cantonese with no subtitles
Yao Dao Police Call gives students a warning, with the hope that the film will contribute to decreasing incidents of bullying.
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Light War
Ng Yuet-shing, Tse Hong-ching, Lau Hoi-tsun, Chan Lok-yiu Angus, To Chun-ho, Lai Ka-chun
Col / 4' 28" / In Cantonese with English subtitles
Dark Knight, White Knight and LED Knight fight it out to determine the performance of three different types of fluorescent tubes.
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Dead End
Audrey Davidson
Col & B/W / 3' 25" / In English with Chinese subtitles
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." The old saying made real in a modern setting.
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Journey of Headwind
Shek Kwan-lok, Chan Tsz-shun, Cheung Chung-sang, Cheng Choi-wa, Choi Tsz-kin, Chow Tsz-yan, Leung Kai-ming, Nam Ho-man Owen, Lui Yik-hei, Fung Pui-chi
Col / 10' 14" / In Cantonese with Chinese subtitles
The date of the singing contest approaches. The hearing impaired Pui-chi and the lonely Chi-yan face various difficulties as they try to fulfill their youthful dreams.
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The 19th ifva Awards
Asian New Force Category Finalist
Russian dancer in China, Singaporean soldier in Taiwan, Korean city hunter, Iranian father and son… People across Asia enact stories of love, death, displacement and human rights in these 10 titles,forming a short film marathon of over 3 hours.
Finalist Showcase: 21/3 (Fri) / 7pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 220' / HK$60 / $35* / With after screening discussion
Badbug
Song Kyung Heub (South Korea)
Col / 27' 00'' / In Korean with English subtitles
Gho is the writer of a comic book called "Bad Bug". He tells the story of a hunter who protects humanity from the Bad Bugs. The comic means more to Gho than just a job. It's his life. Gho is the Hunter, and he fights the Bad Bugs every night.
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Killing A Pig Without Mao
Huang Zhenqian (China)
Col / 13' 38" / In Putonghua with English subtitles
Meiling, a Chinese young apprentice in the slaughterhouse excels in the art of killing the pig. One day while cleaning, she discovers the statutes dusty in the refrigerator.
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Butter Lamp
Hu Wei (China)
Col / 15' 00'' / In Tibetain with English subtitles
A young itinerant photographer and his assistant suggest to Tibetan nomads to photograph them in front of various background.
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When the Cold Wind Blows
Chiang Wei-liang (Singapore)
Col / 20' 00'' / In Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles
On their last night together, a young couple takes a walk through the streets of Taipei.
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See Tiger Together
Zhou Xiaoran (China)
Col / 29' 53" / In Putonghua and Russian with Chinese and English subtitles
Tanya, a Russian dancing girl new to China, meets a Chinese boy Youzi who is not local, either. They find sustenance in each other out of loneliness, even though they speak different languages. Tanya plans to invite Youzi to see tigers, but Youzi leaves the city without saying goodbye.
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The Poet and Singer
Bi Gan (China)
B&W / 22' 00'' / Guizhou dialect with Chinese and English subtitles
This is a story about sin and redemption.
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The Questioning
Zhu Rikun (China)
Col / 20' 30" / In Putonghua with English subtitles
One day in July 2012, I drove to Xinyu, Jiangxi Province to cheer some local human right activists there. We found ourselves tailed. At 12 o'clock at night, some policemen came to our room and started the so-called "room inspection".
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Dreams in the Depths
Armin Isarian (Iran )
Col / 12' 18" / In Persian with English subtitles
A young boy and his father in a tunnel under the border walls are waiting to bargain their goods with the people from another side of the walls. The boy wants to have a bicycle and his father tries to excuse.
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The Busy Young Psychic
Chen Ho-yu (Taiwan)
Col / 29' 00'' / In Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles
With her extraordinary ability to see the dead, a teenage girl, working as a psychic in a temple at night, confronts traditional values and the superstitions of adults, all while trying to get to the birthday party of a classmate she has a crush on.
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On the Air
Hsu Chia-wen (Taiwan)
Col / 29' 06" / In Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles
A-Yi is a big fan of pop idol Jay Chou, and his favorite song is "Nunchucks". One day, his Granny brings home a tape recorder, which gives A-Yi an idea…
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Jury Recommendation
Competition at ifva has been most keen. Every member of the jury has some titles that they favour but cannot become a finalist. Let's take this chance to watch films which cannot make it to the end but are equally enthralling.
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Programme 1 | 16/3 (Sun) | 2pm | Hong Kong Space Museum Lecture Hall | 80' | Free Admission

Stranger at the House

Chan Yat-wah, Chau Yik-chung Ivan / Hong Kong

Col / 15′ 56″ / In Cantonese with Chinese subtitles

Recommended by Adrian Chow and Heiward Mak

La La Woodland

Cheryl Chung@Intoxic / Hong Kong

Col / 3′ / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Recommended by Yu Ka-ho, Andrew Chen, Justin Wong

Sun 

Ho Cheuk-yan / Hong Kong

Col / 3′ 55″ / No dialogue and subtitles

Recommended by Andrew Chen



Going Against the World

Wan Nga-yu / Hong Kong

Col / 13′ 04″ / In Cantonese with no subtitles

Recommended by Adam Wong

Dragon and Phoenix

Lee Ka-yin, Wong Chi-shing / Hong Kong

Col / 3′ 10″ / No dialogue with English subtitles

Recommended by Yu Ka-ho

On Sleepless Roads, the Sleepless Goes

Lam Isabella Candice / Hong Kong

Col & B/W / 20′ 07″ / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Recommended by Rachel Zen

More Than Words

Ma Man-ching, Leung Kwok-pang, Law Tai-kit, Chan Pak-long, Chan Hay-yi, Ho Ka-wai, Chung Ka-wai, Tsang Ching-yee、Leung Chi-yue, Tam Shek-hin / Hong Kong

Col / 9′ 21″ / No dialogue and subtitles

Recommended by Adrian Chow

Battle

Wen Muye / China

Col / 11′ 16″ / In Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles

Recommended by Chan Wai, Chan Chi-wa Ernest, Teresa Kwong
Programme 2 | 16/3 (Sun) | 5pm | Hong Kong Space Museum Lecture Hall | 100' | Free Admission
 

90 Days

Timothy Yeung, Lau Chor-chun / Hong Kong

Col / 18′ 35″ / In Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles

Recommended by Rachel Zen

The Cassette Player

 Mojtaba Mousavi / Iran

Col / 4′ 53″ / No dialogue and subtitles

Recommended by Chan Wai, Chan Chi-wa Ernest, Teresa Kwong



Before Friday

Cheng Tak-yan Enoch / Hong Kong

Col / 30′ / In Cantonese with English subtitles

Recommended by Rachel Zen

Submerse to Read My Mind

Chou On-tung / Hong Kong

B&W / 8′ 50″ / No dialogue with Chinese and English subtitles

Recommended by Yu Ka-ho

Good Night

Wong Chi-ling, Tsoi Wai-chung / Hong Kong

Col / 8′ 44″ / No dialogue with English subtitles

Recommended by Andrew Chen

Lady with flower hair

Tabibzadeh Sarah / Iran

Col / 11′ / No dialogue and subtitles

Recommended by Chan Wai, Chan Chi-wa Ernest, Teresa Kwong

 

 

Glimmer

Omid Abdollahi / Iran

Col / 18′ 30″ / In Farsi with English subtitles

Recommended by Chan Wai, Chan Chi-wa Ernest, Teresa Kwong

Opening film:
You are the Independent Power of My Eye

Veteran scriptwriter and critic Lam Kee-to curates a programme of eight shorts from the many award-winning films since the inception of ifva. Throughout the years, many of the past ifva winners have made their names in Hong Kong’s cultural, or even entertainment scene.

Kee-to says, ‘You Are the Independent Power of My Eye consists of eight films by those who are now professional filmmakers. It is a collection of works that their talents first shone. They created their first piece purely from their heart without much calculation – only with precious independent spirits, which when joined together, could create power.’

13/3 (Thu) / 8pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 112′ / HK$60 / $35*

Long Distance

Chui Wan-shun Vincent, Lai Tze-kim Alex

Col / 1995 / 19’ / In Cantonese with English subtitles

1st ifva Awards - Drama Category Gold Award

 

A woman keeps telling people about how she felt when she made a long distance call to her boyfriend thirteen years ago.
A man, waken by a mysterious midnight call, tries to recall certain things that happened thirteen years ago.

 

Snapshots

Mak Yuen-yan

Col / 1998 / 27’ / In Cantonese with English subtitles

4th ifva Awards - Drama Category Distinguished Award

Snapshots mean pictures taken spontaneously using Polaroid or non-professional cameras.

 

Yan meets Ming when he is at his lowest and doesn’t know what to do with his life. Yan herself, who emigrated to Germany from Hong Kong with her family, has run away from home on finding out that she has a terminal disease. In this way she and Ming come together. Two lonely and helpless people joined by fate, offering each other comfort and support. And in the end they are left with snapshots in their hands to remind them of a beautiful time together. Only you yourself can fulfill your own dreams and hopes, it cannot be done for you by someone else. The story of Ming and Yan is only a beginning. Later they must seek a new lifestyle and that is the most important thing.

Stanley, Wendy, May, Nelson and Ulli, I love you all!

Wrong Dial

Cheuk Wan-chi

Col / 2011 / 4’30” / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

17th ifva Awards - Open Category Silver Award

 

He is a Primary Four young kid.
She is an adult woman.
A series of wrong dialing brought the two together in a most fitting way.

Foul Ball

Yuen Kin-to Toe

Col /  1996  /  2’ / No dialogue and subtitles

2nd ifva Awards – Special Prize (Video), Animation Category Silver Award

 

To this Boy, SOCCER IS LIFE. He lives on soccer balls, sewing them one by one, stitch by stitch with his little hands, in a dark factory a little better than Hell. Despite of the job, he still love playing soccer game. But he never gets much time to because the Fat Boss always pulls him back to the slavery in a very ‘special’ way…

Simultaneously, one of those hand-made balls appears on the infamous TV advertisement: Million-dollar-contracted Soccer Superstars vs. Devilish Aliens. The game which decides human’s fate. It’s a game without red card. Aliens’ crashing defensive skills leave the soccer world idols laying in agony…

But life is not a spectator sport. What kind of dream can be better than stepping inside the arena and teaming up with your favorite athletes?

Sometimes violence is the solution, no matter who is guarding the Goal, the Fat Boss or the Alien King with its 10 feet wingspan…

Sleepy Guy

Raman Hui 

Col / 1996 / 4’48” / No dialogue and subtitles

2nd ifva Awards - Animation Category Distinguished Award

 

Sleepy guy was so happy to meet the girl of his dream. He tried his best to make the evening memorable and magical. But it wasn’t easy for him…… He finally overcame all obstacles and spent eight hours straight with the girl.

I'm Starving

Yau Ching

Col / 1999 / 13’ / In English with Chinese subtitles

5th ifva Awards - Open Category Silver Award

 

I’m Starving is an erotic love tale between a ghost and a woman who share a small apartment in Chinatown. The ghost who eats paper money and Chinese takeout menus contrasts starkly with the woman who thrives on instant ramen noodles; both, haunted by their landlord, decide eventually to invent a future together.

Lovers' lover

Mak Hei-yan Heiward

Col / 2006 /  30’ / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

12th ifva Awards - Open Category Gold Award

  

It is over between “her” and “him”, and she soon starts over with another “him”. It turns out “he” has another “her”…… It starts, it ends, it starts all over again…… It is not just you and me in a relationship, there is another s/he involved……. So anyone can be the third party.

Summer Exercise

Pang Ho-cheung Edmond

Col / 1999 / 11’ / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles
5th ifva Awards - Open Category Distinguished Award

 

On the last day of his summer vacation, 11-year-old Ah Wah finds himself in deep water: he hasn’t finished his summer exercise. He is scared that Mr. Wong, his teacher, will report this to his parents. His mother will then find him a shame; his sister will insult him and his father will give him a beating, all of which are worse than death. After much thoughts, he finally finds a way out by getting to the root of all these: silence Mr. Wong, and before school starts!

The Malaysian Chinese Perspective:
Independent Shorts By Tan Chui-mui

Tan Chui Mui is among the Malaysian “New Wave” directors. A Malaysian Chinese, her first feature Love Conquers All has already won two awards a Pusan. She has made quite a few short films, equally acclaimed, and seven are now showcased at ifva.

Tan Chui-mui’s first short A Tree in Tanjung Malim is a fictional autobiographical work of a 17-year-old girl escaping from the rural to Kuala Lumpur. South of South focuses on Vietnamese refugees who have escaped to Malaysia. The desired dreamland of Peru (Everyday Everyday) or the undesired futuristic, authoritarian world (One Future) forms another discourse about displacement. Tan herself indeed displaces herself and moved to China a few years ago. There she follows the story of investigative journalist Wang Keqin in a documentary project initiated by Jia Zhangke (Wang Keqin, on the Road). Two other films from Tan have been picked, one about a woman reflecting on fate (The Need for Rites) and another without a single woman but only more telling of them (Company of Mushrooms).

23/3 (Sun) / 4pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 110′ / HK$60 / $35* / With after-screening discussion

A Tree in Tanjung Malim

Tan Chui Mui / 2004 / Malaysia / Col / 24′ 51″ / In Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles

The Need For Rituals

Tan Chui Mui / 2008 / Malaysia / Col / 12′ 19” / In Mandarin with no subtitles

One Future

Tan Chui Mui / 2009 / Malaysia / B/W / 4′ 43″ / In English with Chinese subtitles

An edgy and powerful science fiction story of a society where everything is perfect, except no one is allowed to speak.

Company of Mushrooms

Tan Chui Mui / 2006 / Malaysia / Col / 32′ 06″ / In Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles

Wang Ke Qin, on the road

Tan Chui Mui / 2011 / China / B/W / 6′ 59″ / In Mandarin with Chinese and English subtitles

South of South

Tan Chui Mui / 2006 / Malaysia / Col / 10′ 25″ / In Hokkien with Chinese and English subtitles

Everyday Everyday

Tan Chui Mui / 2009 / Malaysia / Col / 18′ 02″ / In Mandarin with English subtitles

Adam Wong's
Storytelling Workshop
Adam Wong’s The Way We Dance became a great hit in Hong Kong last year. We are now offering you three of his shorts, and he himself hand-picked a film that influenced him most: Shunji Iwai’s Fireworks, which sets the tone for Iwai’s most famous Love Letter. Adam Wong will also meet the audience after screening to share his love letter for film.
20/3 (Thu) / 7:30 pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 125′ / HK$60 / $35* / With after-screening discussion

Fireworks

Shunji Iwai / 1993 / Japan / Col / 45′ 00” / In Japanese with English subtitles

Two intertwined tales explore how one tiny incident can change everything.

Sixth-graders Norimichi, Yusuke and Junichi can’t quite figure out how fireworks look when seen from the side. Does it look round? Or does it look flat? Experimenting for themselves seems like a perfect way to find out, so on the night of the Summer Fireworks, the threesome decide to embark on a little adventure.

Ah Wai & Murphy

Adam Wong Sau-ping / 2000 / Hong Kong / B/W / 3′ 52” / No dialogue and subtitles

The 5th ifva Awards – Open Category Distinguished Award

Spin and spin, best friends are you and me.

Glowing 

Wong Sau-ping Adam / 2001 / Hong Kong / Col & B/W / 62′ 00” / In Cantonese with English subtitles

The 6th ifva Awards – Open Category Gold Award and Best Script

The word “director” is becoming more prestigious and romanticised. Knowing that someone has made some sort of movies, we would like to greet him/her as “Director” or ask “When can I star in your movie?” It is pretty fun indeed. However, if taking it seriously, why do I make movies?

The Secret Taste

Adam Wong Sau-ping / 2012 / Hong Kong / Col / 12′ 32″ / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

ifva greenlab 2011-2012: Employee Retraining Board 20th Anniversary Commissioning Project

In May 2011, Ming Chow, at 27 years old, having studied the barista certificate course for only two months, defeated many experienced baristas at the Grand Barista Championship, Hong Kong region. What made Chow’s coffee hit the cord of the jury who were international coffee experts?

8-9/3 (Sat) / 11am-5pm / Eric Hotung Studio / HKD$ 800 / Conducted in Cantonese

How should we tell a story in a film? Narrative can be linear, cyclical, spiral, fragmented… you name it. Adam Wong who directed The Way We Dance will conduct the workshop with a small group of participants, scrutinize their works, and give them tips about how to play around with storytelling!

Application method and eligibility:

1)   Participants should have basic knowledge in film production and operating editing equipment.

2)   Each participants needs to submit a piece of work at application for selection purposes and for discussion at the workshop if selected.

  • Format of works submitted: Full script (preferably with footages), footages of film or short in production, or completed work which is subject to re-editing.
  • Genre of works submitted: drama, documentary, or experimental film with a narrative.
  • Length of works submitted: 5-15 minutes, and please select an excerpt if exceeding this duration.

3)  Please download application form here.

4)  Please apply on or before 24 February. Workshop has a quota of 12-15. Successful applicants will be notified in early March.

Will You Still Love Film Tomorrow:
Sharing by Arvin Chen

One of the most promising young Taiwanese director, Arvin Chen is perhaps best known for his recent feature Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, a rom-com featuring with a taste of magical realism, and his debut feature, Au Revoir Taipei. He indeed has produced some great shorts, most notably Mei (2006) which won the Silver Bear for the best short film at Berlinale, and Lane 256 (2011) in 10+10 which was a project initiated by the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival. Chen will share with ifva audience stories behind his creations, and clips from these short films will be screened.

Hosted By:
Maggie Lee
Senior Asia Film Critic, US entertainment industry publication Variety

23/3 (Sun) / 2pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 90′ / Conducted in English and supplemented with Mandarin / Free Admission

Mei

Taiwan / 2006 / Col / 11′ 00″

Mei’s father runs a noodle stall at one of the night markets in Taipei. Mei always dreams to emigrate to the States, and her only worry is her widowed father. A boy who works at the stall, hopelessly in love with her, promises to take her place and take care of her father. How would Mei choose between love and dream? Arvin Chen’s graduation project at film school triumphed at the Berlinale and he took home the Silver Bear for the best short film in 2007.

LANE 256

Taiwan / 2011 / Col / 5′ 00”

A young couple, soon to be married, moves into their new apartment in a narrow lane. Workers cannot move their washing machine up to the top floor through the narrow staircase, so they can only use a crane to lift it from the ground. But the workers are so clumsy that the washing machine just hangs in the air, as if it can fall any time. That hanging machine reminds the couple of their own unsettling relationship… Lane 256 is part of 10+10, a project comprising 20 short films commissioned by the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival.

The Director

Arvin Chen

Arvin Chen, one of the promising young directors working in Taiwan and Greater China, he apprenticed under renowned Taiwanese director Edward Yang (Yiyi) before studying at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. His thesis film Mei won the 2007 Silver Bear in the Berlin International Film Festival’s Short Film Competition. Chen then went on to shoot his first feature length film, Au Revoir Taipei, which won the NETPAC Award for Best Asian Film at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival. In 2011, Chen joined 10 + 10, the omnibus film project initiated by the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Executive Committee, and directed the segment Lane 256. His latest film Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow is premiered at the 2013 Berlin International Film Festival.

ifva Storytelling Series
Film veteran Lam Kee-to selected nine winning short films from past ifva awards, showcasing nine different ways of storytelling. While demonstrating a great variety, they share one thing in common: a strong Hong Kong flavor.
Programme 1: 5/4 (Sat) / 1pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 118' / HK$65
Programme 1: Storytelling Knows No Boundaries

Wong Tsz Ching In Search For Wong Tsz Ching

Wong Tsz Ching 

Col  / 2007 / 20’ / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

The 13th ifva Awards - Open Category Silver Award

 

Someone is bored enough to Google search his/her own name and document the process into a video clip…

Angels' Trumpets

Lai Pak Hei, Yeung Mei Fung, Kwan Yik Chung

Col  / 2005 / 20’50” / In Cantonese with English subtitles

The 11th ifva Awards - Youth Category Silver Award

 

This night, several people are getting ready for a short-film shooting. This night, these people are killed one by one. This night, she kills these people! This night, she is terrified to witness the murders. This night, she remembers the past! That night, she finds out that the murderer is … HERSELF!

The Colour is Green

Au Wah Hei, Lee Wing Cheung

Col  / 1997 / 15’ / In Cantonese with no subtitles

The 3rd ifva Awards - Youth Category Gold Award


It all started with a chance encounter at the beach. People and things keep shifting, changing in time, the only constant is the necklace…Also, the green world of youth, wonder and hope!

Homecoming

Kwok Zune

Col  / 2009 / 29’35”  / In Cantonese and English with Chinese and English subtitles 

The 15th ifva Awards - Open Category Gold Award

 

 

A mother left her family because she loved them, but there was a big price to pay.

More than 20 years ago, a Filipino girl named Charlie left her son and came to Hong Kong to work as a house maid. Separated from her family all these years, she thought she could finally go home to her son when she retired, but…

有人[:nv:s:b/e peop/e]

Hung Wing Kit

Col  / 2000 / 33’ /  No dialogue with English subtitles 

The 6th ifva Awards - Open Category Distinguished Award

 

Moon is an experimental item in a laboratory. The experiment made her transparent beyond her control. [:nv:s:b/e peop/e} is about the journey of Moon in search of her own existence. The video explores the term “invisibility” in human relationships, through cyber identity and actual human communication.

Programme 2: 6/4 (Sun) / 1pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 111' 30' / HK$65
Programme 2: Local Stories and Local Hearts

Red Faces

Kam Man Fai

Col  / 1997 / 22’ / In Cantonese with English subtitles

The 3rd ifva Awards – Others Category Distinguished Award

 

“Guangong beheads Diaochan under the pale moonlight” – an episode from traditional Chinese opera. The death of she-Diaochan enables he-Guangong to establish his manhood (or to be a hero?), what follows is the journey in search of his own sex. Without Diaochan and his typical “red”, what else is left for Guangong to equip himself as a man? His fluttering beard or his squalid genitals?

 

Ah Ming  

Hui Nga Shu Rita

Col  / 1996 / 15’ / In Cantonese with English subtitles

The 2nd ifva Awards - Drama Category Distinguished Award

 

A normal day, a normal family in Hong Kong, a normal school girl and a normal accident at home.

Mother

Chan Tai Lee

B/W  / 2004 /  18’30”  / In Cantonese with no subtitles

The 10th ifva Awards - Open Category Gold Award

 

One day, a glance of my mother's life, recorded as picture and sound.

Hong Kong Guy

Lo Hoi Ying

Col  / 1998 / 56’ / In Cantonese with English subtitles

The 4th ifva Awards - Youth Category Gold Award

 

You are guaranteed to enjoy this film. Highly visual, this rather wonderful film by a very young man will keep you smiling. The director admits to having been influenced by such popular idols as Bruce Lee, Samuel Hui and Stephen Chow. The story is about how a bored youth indulges himself in imitating the idols and fictitious videotaping.

Art @ Lunch: ifva Awards
Awarded Short Film Highlights

"Art @ Lunch" is a programme emphasizing community engagement, cultural exchange and diversity. Come to the Hong Kong Arts Centre, which is just a step away from the busy Wan Chai commercial offices, and enjoy the award winning titles from last year's ifva during lunch time!

20/3 (Thu) / 1pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 40'/ Free Admission

6th March

Three protesters and three police officers, spending the whole night around a dining table.

Gold Award, 18th ifva Awards (Open Category), Hong Kong

Wong Chun / 2011 / Col / 30' 00"

In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Under the Lion Crotch

Fulfill the wishes of the spirit under the lion’s crotch.

Gold Award, 18th ifva Awards (Animation Category), Hong Kong

Wong Ping / 2011 / Col / 4' 39"

In Cantonese with English subtitles

Molding

In everyday life we all imitate one another. Slowly you and I become the same; we are taken from the same mold.

Silver Award, 18th ifva Awards (Youth Category), Hong Kong

Ng Chak-hang / 2012 / Col / 04' 08"

No dialogue with no subtitles

All About Us 2013/14
Student Creative Film Showcase

All About Us provides a series of short film production activities for ethnic minority youths in Hong Kong, conducted by professional filmmakers. Now in its fourth year, the scheme witnessed the birth of many increasingly mature works.

 

Supported by
Sponsored by
In collaboration with
Partners
16/3 (Sun) / 12:30pm / agnès b. CINEMA / Hong Kong / 95' / Free Admission / With after-screening discussion

Once upon a time in SSP

Hamza Ali、Umair Ali、Sami Usama Javed、Jahanzeb Haider、Usama Haider、Hamza Haider、Muhammad Anus、Ali Shamaz 

2013 / Col / 20’ 39” / In Cantonese with English subtitles

Troubled Love

Ghale Milan Jung、Amansingh Baroli A.、Vikrant Singh、Justin Charles Medina、Suleman Shah、Rehman Shah、Gurung Anjila、Siddarth Gurung

2013 / Col / 5’ 08” / In English with English subtitles

Don’t Just Dream, Do

Gurung George、Kandal Satish、Bishwokarma Bipin、Gurung Subin

2013 / Col / 12’ 38” / In English with Chinese and English subtitles

Triphobia

Anis Ur Rehman、Adeel Maroof、Shahid Ossama、Mubashar Hussain、Muhammad Atif、Shahul Hameed Nuaim、Afrasyaab Khan、Shoaib Hassan、Aveneina Anggi

2013 / Col / 8’ 39” / In English with English subtitles

Jellyfishman

Leung King Lam M. Grace、Khiatani Samuel Vinod、Barua Olique Kumar、Kubota Masaharu、Ngan Ying Kit、Le Van Thang、Harjot Singh、Harvin Singh

2013 / Col / 9’ 07” / In English with English subtitles

Football Passion

Harjit Kaur、Jaskamalpreet Kaur Jassy、Simarjit Kaur、Liaqat Riddah Gul、Lovepreet Kaur、Sharanjit Kaur
 
2013 / Col / 7’ 45” / In English with English subtitles
NEW ACTION EXPRESS
Short Film Highlights
"HONG KONG SHORT FILM: NEW ACTION EXPRESS" sponsors local talents to attend international film festivals, with a view to introducing Hong Kong short films to global audiences and fostering rewarding exchanges. Eight short films from this scheme are selected for us to revisit stories that have brought pride to Hong Kong.
Sponsored by
Programme 1

14/3 (Fri) / 7:30pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 78' / Free Admission / With after-screening discussion

Coffee, Cigarettes and Chinese Massage

Kwok Hon-fan Jeff / 2012 / Hong Kong / Col / 7' 21" / In French with Chinese and English subtitles

Officially Selected, Tokyo Video Festival 2013, Japan

Over coffee and cigarettes in a European style coffee shop in China, a French and a Belgium visitors talk about some funny things they were exposed to during their stay in China.

Not Now But When 

Yuen Chi-him / 2011 / Hong Kong / Col / 22' 39" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Officially Selected, 19th Chilean International Short Film Festival of Santiago (FESANCOR 2013), Chile

2012, the hottest issue should be world's end. The rest of time is not enough for any development of the society and citizen. But we can't just wait world's end happen, we need to survive in this harsh world. The society changes, it might be much unpredictable than that about the world's end happens. In a world where the future appears bleak and hopeless, should we prepare for a painless end, or it possible for us to stand up and make a change?

SICK

Chu Hoi-ying Nicole / 2012 / Hong Kong / Col / 9' 46" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Officially Selected, 9th IAWRT Asian Women's Film Festival, New Delhi, India

Chi is sick. She notices her mother's strange behavior one night. Worried, she calls her brother about it, but he is not interested. Who is sick actually?

Flowers with Aphasia 

Li Sum-yuet / 2012 / Col / 30' 00'' / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Officially Selected, 15th Udine Far East Film Festival, Italy

Seated in the front row of a funeral hall are a boy and a teenager, the picture of the deceased yet to be placed. A florist, Tung, is consumed by grief but puts on a front for others. The boy drops by at the florist and orders a custom floral arrangement -- a teddy bear-shaped wreath with his favorite yellow flowers -- to be readied in three days' time and paid with money saved up in his piggy bank. Tung forges an unlikely friendship with his young customer, an encounter that releases bottled-up emotions so that healing process can begin.

Programme 2

18/3 (Tue) / 7:30pm / agnès b. CINEMA / 72' / Free Admission / With after-screening discussion

Downstream (produced by RTHK)

Kwok Zune / 2012 / Hong Kong / Col / 24' 00'' / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Best Selection Award (International Short Film Competition) Kaohsiung Film Festival 2013, Taiwan

HK born Indian Peter encounters a small accident at work. In order to repay the debt, he got himself involved in a seemingly endless string of troubles.

Shit Happening

Lee Kai-ho / 2012 / Hong Kong / Col and B/W / 2' 11" / No dialogue and subtitles

Officially Selected, 3rd Ars Independent International Film Festival, Katowice, Poland

Any form of relationship between the two sexes were happening within such a narrow space like Hong Kong. Flat lens created strong pressure which gives fantasy to the film by its vagueness. So similar to our experience. Were we also one of the actors?

Lopsided

Yeung Tsz-ngo Poppy / 2012 / Hong Kong / Col / 29' 05" / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Officially Selected, 27th BFI London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, United Kingdom

Officially Selected, Asian Queer Film Festival 2013, Japan

A new kind of medical cure has been invented. Within 24 hours of consumption, homosexual users will be "treated" and return to the state of heterosexuals. Lotus is a lesbian, but a series of events follow as soon as her conservative mother finds out about Lotus' sexual orientation.

Is it a sickness when She falls in love with Her?

Such a Girl like Me

Man Uen-ching/ 2012 / Hong Kong / Col / 16' 00'' / In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Officially Selected, 15th Udine Far East Film Festival, Italy

'…is unsuitable for any man's love.' (Xi Xi, A Woman Like Me)

Sum-yin patches up wounds, masks scars and performs other beautician services that, when done well – as she always does – bring comfort to her and appreciation from grateful families. But inside she's hurting. Her job as a mortuary cosmetologist makes her self-conscious about the smell of death that seems to be seeping through and under her skin and looming over her stagnant relationship with Kwan, her oblivious boyfriend. No amount of cigarettes and perfume and cleaning will rid of it. At some point, a decision has to be made.