Admission is free. RSVP for tickets in advance. Each programme runs for approximately 2 hours.

HKAPA School of Film and Television Annual Screening 2021

Welcome to the annual HKAPA School of Film and Television Screening. “Hong Kong versus The World?” Is the question posed by this showcase of recent award-winning films. These short student films are produced by Hong Kong students and screened here alongside a selection of the very best work created globally by students during the past two years.

Of course, filmmaking is not a competitive sport.

However, students are often intrigued to know how their work compares with the work produced in other countries, and by their contemporaries. Industry personnel and Hong Kong society more broadly is often concerned with the future direction of the venerated, and much loved Hong Kong film industry.

Where is the next generation of screen storytellers? Is Hong Kong keeping up with the developments in filmmaking and all the new digital technologies available today?

This screening is curated in response to some of these questions and underlying concerns.

Yes, the school maintains very active engagement with international film schools. The school is very well resourced and relies upon ongoing financial support to purchase the best new technologies and filmmaking tools. The school keeps abreast of new and developing trends in screen design and storytelling techniques. The school constantly monitors teaching and learning and curriculum design to ensure our practices and processes align with approaches adopted by international film and media schools.

The School of Film and Television encourages students to become effective users of traditional and new filmmaking tools and takes pride in encouraging students to develop an artistic sensibility when using those tools. This approach develops screen work which is original and always strives to tell stories honestly and with impact.

We are pleased to announce the collaboration between The Hong Kong Arts Centre (HKAC) and the School of Film and Television’s new Screen Production and Research Centre (SPaRC). This beautifully refurbished cinema, named after our recent HKAPA Honorary Fellow, Mr. Louis Koo, fittingly underscores the commencement of our partnership by hosting this first annual screening.

Thanks also to CILECT. The CILECT Congress for 2021 was conducted online recently. The School took it’s place amongst the delegates from over 180 audio-visual educational institutions from 65 countries on 6 continents with 9,000+ teachers and staff that annually train 55,000+ students and communicate with an alumni network over 1,330,000+. CILECT coordinates the annual  CILECT Prize which is the ultimate peer reviewed competition where teachers and students from many of the member schools view and judge the submitted films across three categories.

We proudly present some of the best films from the CILECT Prize. For this we especially thank the National Film and Television School, UK (NFTS) and the Netherlands Filmacademie for providing permission to screen their award-winning student films in Hong Kong.

In the spirit of re-opening the world post-COVID, and of the 2021/22 Olympic Games, may Hong Kong student films emerge and engage with the wider world of student filmmaking to compare, contrast and yes, respectfully and most graciously, compete.

Professor Geoffrey Stitt

Dean, School of Film and Television

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Programme 1: The Darker Side
2/11 (Tue) 7:30pm

Dusk 《日暮之途》
Director: Cheung Ming-wai Jessie
Producer: Tsang Fuk-ching Katie, Leung Yan-ting Tiffany
Hong Kong | 2021 | 10’ | In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SPaRC Interdisciplinary, collaborative Independent Study project 2021
• Fresh, student-initiated project produced in August/September 2021

Ka Ting awakens from a coma, unsure where she is. After reuniting with her friends, they suddenly find themselves living in an unusually different and dangerous world.

"19"
Director: Wan Hon-ting Oscar
Producer: Ho Nok-lam Rosany
Hong Kong | 2021 | 30’ | In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SFTV BFA Graduation Project 2021

At nineteen, Gut believes the world is a blank sheet and imagination is his paintbrush. One day, he meets Kwong, who is visually impaired. Kwong tells Gut that there is a real world outside, but he doesn’t believe her. To find out if she is right, they set out on an unexpected journey.

A Summer Lucid Dream 《那年夏天一場夢》
Director: Lam Cheuk-him
Producer: Ko Yee-ting Tinny
Hong Kong | 2021 | 30’ | In Cantonese with English subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SFTV BFA Graduation Project 2020
• Semi-finalist Student Academy Awards, Los Angeles 2021

Wayne and Bob are unmotivated teenage idlers. One night together with their friend Ching, they break into a mansion where they accidentally discover evidence of unspeakable crimes. How shall they deal with this discovery and at what cost?

Floating in the Night《黑泥丶白石丶光水氹 》
Director: Ng Tsun-hei Xavier
Hong Kong | 2021 | 15’ | No dialogue and subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SFTV BFA 2nd Year Non-Fiction project 2021

A beautiful evocation of rarely experienced Hong Kong sights and sounds.This is not only a documentary, but also a journey.

Who Goes There?
Director: Astrid Thorvaldsen
Producer: Leah Bethany Jones
United Kingdom | 2021 | 24’ | In Norwegian with English subtitles | Colour

• National Film and Television School, UK (NFTS)
• CILECT Prize 2020 - Fiction - Bronze Medal (3rd place)

Minnesota 1880: The trust of three Norwegian sisters is tested when a stranger appears on their prairie. When the eldest invites him in to heal her dying sister, she doesn't realise that a supernatural force is crossing her threshold.

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Programme 2: Social Pressures
3/11 (Wed) 7:30pm

Once Upon a Time 《從前⋯》
Director: Ho Nok-lam Rosany
Producer: Leung Hoi-yee Jill
Hong Kong | 2021 | 9’ | In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SFTV BFA 3rd Year Narrative Project 2020
• CILECT Prize (Fiction) 2020 - International ranking 31

There was a man named Cheung. More or less, Cheung lived a mundane, uneventful life. But one day, out of nowhere Cheung heard the voice of his personal narrator. Loud and clear. Is Cheung gong mad or is he really a work of fiction?

Why Didn’t You Stay for Me?
Director: Milou Gevers
Producer: Quita Ruijgrok, Annerose Van Strijen
Netherlands | 2021 | 25’ | In Dutch with English subtitles | Colour

• Nederlandse Filmacademie (Netherlands)
• Gold medal winner CILECT Prize 2021 (Documentary) - Gold Medal (1st place) - 2021

Four children. One director. Each lost a parent to suicide. When director Milou probes the questions no one ever dared to ask her, the kids finally tell us about the journey they made from the moment they heard the news.

A Killer in a Wheelchair 《輪椅殺手》
Director: Leung Tsz-him
Producer: Law Ho-pui, Leung Tsz-him
Hong Kong | 2021 | 30’ | In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SFTV BFA Graduation Project 2019

Ah Wah, a winner in the game of life, hits rock bottom when an accident befalls him. In a world where truths are intertwined with fabrications, this film playfully explores the boundaries of exploitation and manipulation in filmmaking. Starring Hong Kong Film Award nominee Lam Sen.

6÷1 x 6 =1
Director: Tsang Fuk-ching Katie
Producer: Tsang Fuk-ching Katie
Hong Kong | 2021 | 15’ | In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SFTV BFA 2nd Year Non-fiction project
• CILECT Prize 2021 (Documentary) - International ranking 52

Ruby experienced domestic violence since she was nine years old. She has been diagnosed with DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). In this documentary, we discover how her six identities co-exist peacefully and how this condition impacts her daily existence, and partner.

Harmonia
Director: Thom Lunshof
Producer: Pieter Kapteijns, Indy Kisoen, Maayke Pleijers
Netherlands | 2021 | 26’ 31’’ | In Dutch with English subtitles | Colour

• Nederlandse Filmacademie (Netherlands), Fiction 2021 - 25 mins
• CILECT Prize 2021 Fiction - International ranking 6

A mysterious voice invades a university campus. It is looking for unity and connection in a world trapped in isolation, where everyone is pursuing their own individual goals. At the same time, we follow Philine in her battle to earn a spot in the competition boat of her university rowing club.

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Programme 3: Family Affairs 
4/11 (Thu) 7:30pm

This programme is classified as Category III and only available to audience aged 18 and above. Audience under 18 years old could contact HKAPA School of Film and Television to cancel the registration.

Couple on Stage 《剖白》
Director: Cheng Sei-hong
Hong Kong | 2021 | 35’ | In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SFTV BFA Graduation Project 2014
• CILECT Prize (Fiction) - International ranking 22
• CILECT Asia Pacific (CAPA) Prize 1st place

After being married for several years, Jonathan and Karenina are cast for the first time to act side by side in a stage play. During the rehearsals and performances both actors become increasingly aware of the parallel issues their stage characters, John and Mary, confront. Will events on stage reverberate off stage within their seemingly healthy marriage?

Adrift 《浮沉》
Director: Chau Man-kit Andy
Producer: Liu Sin-yi Charlie
Hong Kong | 2021 | 30’ | In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SFTV BFA Graduation Project 2021

Ka-chun loves his mother, who also loves her son. But she takes her love to extremes. One day after taking a class at school, Ka Chun feels that what his mother has done might be sexual assault. Ka- chun is confused and struggles with what he should do. A class-mate helps him…

The Smoke that Blinds 《人間煙火》
Director: Lai Yu -man
Producer: Wing Tsang
Hong Kong | 2021 | 30’ | In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles | Colour

• HKAPA SFTV MFA Thesis Project 2020
• Official submission to CILECT Prize (Fiction)
• North American distribution by 7 Palms Entertainment
• Honourable Mention - HKBU Global University Film Awards (GUFA) 2022

Anna, a single mother struggles to accept the death of her firstborn child. She cannot understand why the younger son, Alex, keeps burning his brother’s belongings. Wanting to take time out she decides to take a trip but must include Alex. On a snow swept holy mountain in Japan can the ritual fires melt the ice between Anna and Alex…mother and son?

November 1st
Director: Charlie Manton
Producer: Teodora Shaleva
United Kingdom | 2021 | 25’ | In English with English subtitles | Colour

• National Film and Television School, UK (NFTS), 2020 25 mins
• Gold Medal winner - CILECT Prize (Fiction) - Gold Medal 1st

A mother and daughter travel across a US state to witness a long-overdue execution.

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Co-presented by: Hong Kong Arts Centre and The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts: School of Film and Television