INDONESIA
ASIAN FILM AWARDS ACADEMY
The Asian Film Awards Academy, a non-profit organisation, was founded by Busan, Hong Kong and Tokyo International Film Festivals with the shared goal of celebrating excellence in Asian cinema. Aiming to promote and recognize Asian films and its talents, AFAA highlights, strengthens and develops Asian film industry through the annual Asian Film Awards and several year-round initiatives.
Our year-round events and programmes are held with the objectives to promote Asian films to a wider audience, expand the film market within Asia, and build and sustain connections among Hong Kong and international film professional. Masterclass Series – in conversation with filmmakers, Journey to the fest – Student Visit to International Film Festivals, Asian Cinerama – Film Roadshow, and Young Film Professionals Programme – overseas training and work-placement, are examples of our year-round programmes. These programmes couldn’t have held successfully without the financial support of Create Hong Kong and Film Development Fund of the HKSAR Government. AFAA has worked to promote, educate, inform and develop knowledge, skills and interest in Asian cinema among the industry, students and audiences in Asia and beyond with the support of film festivals and cultural organizations.
HONG KONG FILM GALA PRESENTATION
The Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation, presented by the Asian Film Awards Academy, with the financial support of Create Hong Kong and Film Development Fund, is a grand programme that showcases the exceptional talents of Hong Kong’s filmmakers to diverse audiences across different regions. Our mission is to establish strong relations and bring together film professionals from ASEAN countries and Hong Kong for an in-depth discussion of the art of cinema. Since 2021, we’ve brought our spectacular events to international cities such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta, showcasing the boundless creativity and unparalleled diversity of Hong Kong films.
IN COLLABORATION WITH FINANCIALLY SUPPORTED BY SUPPORTED BY PRESENTED BY
SCREENING SCHEDULE
Fly Me to the Moon* (Q&A) In Broad Daylight* (Q&A) Time Still Turns the Pages Center Stage* (Q&A) The Goldfinger
TICKETING INFORMATION
• *Post-screening Q&A session will be held.
• All films are shown in the original languages with English subtitles.
• For detailed information, please refer to the official websites and Instagram of the Asian Film Awards Academy and Balinale.
ALL SHALL BE WELL
從今以後
Director Ray YEUNG
Drama 93min Cantonese
Cast
Patra AU Ga Man
Maggie LI Lin Lin
Tai Bo
HUI So Ying
LEUNG Chung Hang
Fish LIEW Chi Yu
Rachel LEUNG
Southeast Asian Premiere
Angie and Pat are a couple living in Hong Kong who have been together for over four decades. After Pat’s unexpected death, Angie finds herself at the mercy of her extended family as she struggles to retain both her dignity and the home that they shared for over thirty years.
DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
Ray YEUNG is a Columbia University MFA graduate. He has written and directed four features and eight short films. Ray’s third feature SUK SUK (TWILIGHT’S KISS) World Premiered at the Busan International Film Festival 2019 and had its European Premiere in Panorama at the Berlin International Film Festival 2020. The film subsequently screened in over 50 film festivals worldwide. SUK SUK earned 5 Golden Horse Award nominations. It was also nominated for 9 Hong Kong Film Awards including Best Film. The film collected 2 Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress. SUK SUK picked up 8 additional Awards and nominations from prestigious organizations including Hong Kong Film Critics Society, Hong Kong Directors Guild, Hong Kong Screenwriters Guild, and the Asian Film Awards.
CENTER STAGE (4K
Director Stanley KWAN
Drama 155min
Cantonese, Mandarin, Shanghainese
RESTORED VERSION)
阮玲玉 (4K修復版)
Cast
Maggie CHEUNG
Tony LEUNG Ka Fai
Chin Han
Carina LAU Ka Ling
Lawrence NG Kai Wah
“Center Stage” is set during China’s silent movie era and revolves around the life of the legendary life of a gifted actress, Ruan Ling-yu. With her sensitive portrayal, Maggie Cheung Man-yuk took her story abroad and won the best actress award at the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival.
In the spring of 1935, silent movie star Ruan Ling-yu took her own life, shocking the world. Her funeral was attended by hundreds of thousands of mourning fans. Ruan entered the film world at the age of 16. In the short span of 9 years, she made 29 silent movies and became the idol of tens of thousands. As she rose to fame, she also rose to infamy with scandals over her private life. Her death at such an early age has given rise to much debate: did she kill herself because of her career? Or for love? In her farewell note, Ruan wrote four words – “criticism should be feared – and gave her final condemnation on the merciless public.
DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
Stanley KWAN is a Hong Kong film director and producer. His works include Rouge, Center Stage, Lan Yu and Everlasting Regret. He has won Best Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards for Rouge, Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards for Lan Yu. For Center Stage, he won Best Director at the Chicago International Film Festival and Maggie CHEUNG won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Indonesian Premiere
FLY ME TO THE MOON
Director Sasha CHUK
Drama 112min
Cantonese, Mandarin, Hunan Dialect, Japanese
Cast
WU Kang-ren
Sasha CHUK
Angela YUEN
TSE Wing Yan
Natalie HSU
‘Perhaps all our likings come later in life. All our affections come from a piece of childhood memory.’
Yuen moves to Hong Kong with her mother from Hunan at the age of 8 to reunite with her father. Everything in the city is dazzling and new to her. However, the family face poverty and a cultural barrier. Worse still, the father has a drug habit and has a difficult relationship with the family. This certainly is not the dream home Yuen has been looking forward to. All she wants is that her younger sister could reunite with them as soon as possible.
Out of fear, the sisters try to appease to their father in their younger years. As soon as they reach adolescence, they start to resist and escape from him. However, even after they grow up and move away from him, Yuen realizes all the people she loves and treasures resemble her father in her childhood memories.
DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
Sasha CHUK majored in Chinese literature and Sociology at the University of Hong Kong. Her short film The Dropout of Her (2019) won Best Cinematography at the 13th Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival. Her next short film, Plain Sailing (2022) won the Gold Award at the 27th ifva Awards (Asian Open Category) and was also selected in the 2022 Osaka Asian Film Festival. In 2020, she won the 6th First Film Initiative by Create Hong Kong with her screenplay Fly Me to the Moon, an adaptation from her novel. Fly Me to The Moon is her feature directorial debut.
IN BROAD DAYLIGHT
Director
Lawrence KAN
Drama 106min Cantonese
Cast
Jennifer YU
David CHIANG
Bowie LAM
Rachel LEUNG
If karma does not exist, would you still choose kindness?
Based on true events, In Broad Daylight reveals a little-known truth about residential care homes for the disabled that hides beneath the headlines. A news organization’s investigative journalism unit receives a tip about the abuse of residents in Rainbow Bridge Care Home. To expose the home’s wrongdoings, reporter Kay goes undercover to expose the inhumanity inside, searching for the cruel truth under broad daylight.
DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
Lawrence KAN graduated from Vancouver Film School. His first film, When C Goes with G7 (2013), was selected for the “Hong Kong First” section of Hong Kong Asian Film Festival 2013. In 2021, he directed his first TV series In Geek We Trust, whose lead actors LING Man-lung and Kaki SHAM were nominated for Best Rising Star and Best Supporting Actor, respectively, at Busan International Film Festival’s Asia Contents Award. LING won the Best Rising Star.
TIME STILL TURNS THE PAGES
年少日記
Director
Nick CHEUK
Drama 95min Cantonese
Cast
LO Chun Yip
Ronald CHENG
Hanna CHAN
Rosa Maria VELASCO
Sean WONG
Indonesian Premiere
High school teacher Cheng looks back to his repressed childhood memories, as he finds an anonymous suicide note in the classroom. He strives hard to prevent another tragedy from happening, meanwhile facing a series of family problems, his wife is divorcing him, and his father is dying.
DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
Nick CHEUK is a member of the Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild, he is also the scriptwriter of Paradox and Zombiology: Enjoy Yourself Tonight. He is the Creative Director of the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards. In 2022, Nick wrote his directorial debut Time Still Turns The Pages. The film received the ‘Golden Horse Audience Choice Award ’ at the 60th Golden Horse Awards and five nominations. Nick also earned the honor of “Best New Director.”
THE GOLDFINGER
金手指
Director
Felix CHONG
Drama 125min Cantonese
Cast Tony LEUNG
Andy LAU
Charlene CHOI
Simon YAM
Carlos CHAN
Alex FONG
Indonesian Premiere
In 1980s Hong Kong, the stock market boomed. However, things took a turn for the worse when Carmen Century Group, a giant multi-national corporation suddenly goes bankrupt, rendering all of its stocks worthless and destroying the lives of its stockholders. The group was founded by CHING Yat-Yin, who earned his entrance into the upper class after striking his first pot of gold in the bourgeoning real estate market. However, the stock market crash exposed the company’s true nature as an elaborate scam. During ICAC investigator LAU Kai-Yuen’s efforts to uncover the failed company’s criminal wrongdoings, those who hold the key to unlocking the conspiracy end up dying under suspicious circumstances.
DIRECTOR'S BIOGRAPHY
Felix
CHONG Man-keung is a renowned screenwriter and film director from Hong Kong. He is highly celebrated and has received numerous prestigious awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards. CHONG is best known director and scriptwriter for the film Project Gutenberg which won the Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay in 38th HKFAA. His other notable screenplay works include Infernal Affairs, Infernal Affairs 2, Infernal Affairs 3, Initial D, Confession of Pain and Overheard series.
