Supported by the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office, London, Focus Hong Kong brings the very best in new and classic Hong Kong cinema to London in July, with a diverse programme of screenings at the presBgious BFI Southbank. Films include three of the most acclaimed and popular Hong Kong films of the year, with the UK Premieres of all-star crime epic Where the Wind Blows from award-winning director Philip Yung and horror anthology and international festival favourite Let it Ghost, and a special screening of social justice courtroom thriller A Guilty Conscience, one of Hong Kong's biggest box office hits of 2023 so far. Also included is the UK Premiere of a new 4K version of the Hong Kong New Wave classic Nomad, re-edited by director Patrick Tam after being heavily censored on its original release, starring the immortal Leslie Cheung in an early breakthrough role, screening to mark the 20th anniversary of his tragic passing in 2003.
Where the Wind Blows sees acclaimed writer director Philip Yung following his award-winning Port of Call with a gripping epic exploring the complex, dangerous era of 1960s Hong Kong. The highly-anticipated film is headlined by iconic stars Aaron Kwok and Tony Leung, playing police officers in the colonial era struggling with corruption, competing triads and the British colonial authorities, against a backdrop of conspiracies, shootouts and dancehall numbers.
A massive domestic box office hit, Jack Ng's A Guilty Conscience is a tense courtroom drama following a lawyer who takes on the corrupt elite as he tries to free a woman jailed as a result of his own negligence. Top comedian Dayo Wong leads a fantastic ensemble cast in a classic underdog tale of the pursuit of justice and redemption, combining social commentary with nail-biting twists and intrigue.
Spooky comedies are a beloved institution of Hong Kong cinema, and Wong Hoi's debut Let it Ghost is a delightful reinvention of the form that's brimming with supernatural shenanigans and inventive frights. An anthology featuring three tales of haunted film crews, sex-obsessed spectres and ghosts wandering gentrified shopping malls, the film pays tribute to the classics and local folklore while offering a modern take, mixing saBre and scares and continuing the Hong Kong tradition of using horror to reflect social issues and anxieties.
The Hong Kong New Wave classic Nomad gets a stunning 4K restoration and edit from director Patrick Tam, screening to mark the 20th anniversary of the tragic passing of Leslie Cheung. Heavily censored on its original release, the film stars the immortal Leslie Cheung in a breakthrough role, following a group of youths in Hong Kong as they try to find their place in the world, flittng between their apartments and the beach, gebng caught up in romance, politics and gangs. At once colourful and cynical, the film mixes rebellion, burgeoning sexuality and culture clash.
The programme is the latest in an ongoing series of Focus Hong Kong screening events to be held across the UK during 2023 – stay tuned for an announcement regarding the next event.
Tickets are on sale now HERE
