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Interview with Man Lim-chung: Hopefully Through This Film, People Will Adore Ann Hui as Much as I Do

We speak with Man Lim-chung about his many collaborations, the changes he has witnessed in the industry, working with and shooting a documentary about Ann Hui, and many other topics

” is the directorial debut of Man Lim-chung, a veteran art director and costume designer who has worked with directors like , and Pang Ho-cheung Crucially, he has worked on a number of Ann Hui's films including “July Rhapsody” “The Golden Era” and “Our Time Will Come” (2017).

On the occasion of his documentary about Ann Hui, “Keep Rolling”, screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival, we speak with him about his many collaborations, the changes he has witnessed in the industry, working with and shooting a documentary about Ann Hui, and many other topics.

You have worked with directors like , Tsui Hark, Stanley Kwan and Sylvia Chang. Can you give us details about your experiences with them? 

I've worked with all of the directors you've mentioned above as art director. All of them have a very strong artistic sense, and they know exactly what they want, with the exception of Wong Kar-wai. He won't tell you what he wants, but he'll tell you what he doesn't want, so the process was especially arduous, with a lot of back and forths. Tsui Hark already has a preconceived notion of what he wants, but he is still curious about what you can provide, so you'll have to give him a lot of options to choose from. Ann Hui and Sylvia Chang, on the other hand, are more hands-off and give the art director more freedom. They trust the people they are working with, so once we've agreed on a general direction, they will not micro-manage, and will trust that person's ability to finish the job, so it was relatively easier to work with them. Wong Kar-wai and Tsui Hark were different as they would need to approve every small detail. 

You have been in the industry since the 90s. Which are the most significant differences you have witnessed and how has your style of work changed through the years?

The most obvious change is that there was no internet in the 90s, so it is much easier to do research and find references nowadays. It's also more convenient to purchase certain props or costumes. This is a double-edged sword, because that means everyone is using the same websites to order similar materials, so you'll have to spend more time and effort to stand out amongst the rest. 

You have worked as production designer, art director, and costume designer. How did you manage all these different capacities and which role do you prefer having in the movies?

Throughout the years, I've always wanted to try different roles within the film industry. The role of the production designer is extremely exhausting, as you have to handle everything that goes into the production, but you get the biggest sense of gratification. On the other hand, if I am just the costume designer, or just the art director, then I can focus on just one aspect of the production and make it great. I think it's quite refreshing to switch between different positions. 

How come you decided to shoot a documentary about Ann Hui as your directorial debut? Was the transition to the director's seat easy? 

It was not my ambition to progress from being an art director, to a production designer, then to a director. I was actually inspired from working with Ann for so many years, and also admiring her work since I was younger. Throughout my years working with Ann, I've grown very fond of her personality, and I admire her work ethic. I also really appreciated her devotion to the cinematic art form, as well as how she was able to construct very complex characters in her films. And so I thought it was time that the younger generation, especially younger filmmakers, got to know her story, because I realized, through daily conversations, that not many people knew about her previous work or her contributions to Hong Kong cinema. And hopefully through this film, people will adore Ann Hui as much as I do, and also actively seek out to watch her extensive repertoire. 

Was it difficult having her give you access to both her shooting of films and her personal life? 

Before I started shooting this documentary, I had a gentleman's agreement with Ann. Even though she's a well-known director, I'm the director of this documentary, so she will not teach me how to shoot my film, but of course I had to ask for her consent every time I wanted to document her private life. She would tell me frankly if she would prefer some things to remain private. I was glad that this was the dynamic that was established from the beginning. 

How would you describe her as a person and as a director? How was the experience of working with her in her movies?

Ann has a very direct and frank personality. She is also very humble, and well-read. She makes sure that everyone in the crew is taken care of, and in the case of our documentary, she did not interfere with us at any point, so the shooting process was very smooth. 

Is there actually a point where the artist ends and the person begins? Does she have any regrets, particularly for not marrying let's say?

As you've seen in the documentary, she has devoted her entire life to cinema, and perhaps she was not very confident in herself with regards to finding a romantic partner, but she has wholeheartedly devoted all her effort into making films. I think she believes that it was all worth it, and she has no regrets. 

The film shows so many people, both from the industry and outside of it, who seem to really love her. Why is that, would you say? 

Every single person who was interviewed really adored Ann, not just her family, but also the friends she grew up with, and all the people whom she has worked with throughout the years. Quoting Tsui Hark, ‘Ann is a director that Hong Kong needs to protect and cherish'. 

Has she ever “conciliated” with her mother? Because her relationship seems to have been quite difficult. In general, how would you describe her relationship with the rest of the members of her family?

Ann has a very close relationship with her mother. After making ‘Song of the Exile', she had a newfound understanding of her mother's situation, and was able to reconcile some misunderstandings that were present before. Ann also has a close relationship with her brother and sister. Even though her sister lives in Canada, and her brother lives in the US, they still keep in close contact, especially in matters regarding their mother, and also concerns over the pandemic. They have a great relationship. 

seems like a very important individual for her career, but he barely features in the film. Why is that? 

Ann has a good working relationship with Roger Lee, but perhaps not as close as some others. I've only worked with her in ‘A Simple Life', and ‘Our Time Will Come', and Roger was very seldom on set. However, in the beginning of this documentary, when Ann was about to walk on the red carpet, Roger was one of the people who was beside her when she was receiving this honour. So, Roger Lee was indeed featured in this documentary, unfortunately it was just his silhouette. 

Are you working on any new projects at the moment, and will you continue directing films in the future? 

I am currently working on a feature film project as a costume designer, and there are no current plans to direct another feature film; however, I'm open to becoming a feature film director again. 

About the author

Panos Kotzathanasis

My name is Panos Kotzathanasis and I am Greek. Being a fan of Asian cinema and especially of Chinese kung fu and Japanese samurai movies since I was a little kid, I cultivated that love during my adolescence, to extend to the whole of SE Asia.

Starting from my own blog in Greek, I then moved on to write for some of the major publications in Greece, and in a number of websites dealing with (Asian) cinema, such as Taste of Cinema, Hancinema, EasternKicks, Chinese Policy Institute, and of course, Asian Movie Pulse. in which I still continue to contribute.

In the beginning of 2017, I launched my own website, Asian Film Vault, which I merged in 2018 with Asian Movie Pulse, creating the most complete website about the Asian movie industry, as it deals with almost every country from East and South Asia, and definitely all genres.

You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

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