Ann Hui On-wah is a film director, producer, screenwriter and actress from Hong Kong who is one of the most critically acclaimed filmmakers of the Hong Kong New Wave. She is known for her films about social issues in Hong Kong which include: literary adaptations, martial arts, semi-autobiographical works, women’s issues, social phenomena, political changes, and thrillers. She served as the president of the Hong Kong Film Directors’ Guild from 2004 to 2006.
Hui has won numerous awards. She won Best Director at the Golden Horse Awards three times (1999, 2011, 2014); Best Film at the Asia Pacific Film Festival; and Best Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards six times (1983, 1996, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018).
Only two films have won a Grand Slam (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor, and Best Actress) at the Hong Kong Film Awards; they are Summer Snow and A Simple Life, both directed by Ann Hui. She was honored for her lifetime accomplishments at the 2012 Asian Film Awards. In 2017, the US based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited Hui to become a member.
As we have reviewed 21 of the 34 works of Ann Hui, we thought it was about time to publish a list about our collective work, while we continue searching for the rest. The list was derived from IMDB with some corrections when needed. You can check the full reviews by clicking on the titles. You can follow the project here
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1. The Secret (1979)
“The Secret” is where it all started for Ann Hui, who left television to make her feature film debut with this murder mystery. Based on a true story, a double homicide rocks Hong Kong. As the locality where the young woman lived still reels in from the shock, Lin, the best friend of the deceased girl starts having visions of the dead girl. Who killed the two? Whose shadow do the grandmother and Lin keep seeing in the house? And where is the red jacket that Li, the dead girl wore? “The Secret” scores not just as a whodunit, but it brings with it this incredible atmosphere of a paranoid ’70s Hong Kong, a country torn between the east and the west, and attempts to offer an explanation to the then-recent murder mystery that had the country gripped. The editing for its time, in particular, deserves special mention. Upon release, the film was and still is hailed as an important work of the Hong Kong New Wave and was nominated for five awards at the Golden Horse Award including Best Feature Film (for which it came 2nd place) and Best Director for Ann Hui, ultimately winning Best Cinematography and Best Editing. (Rhythm Zaveri)
2. The Spooky Bunch (1980)
Written with dramatic awareness and sense of humour by Joyce Chan, “The Spooky Bunch” is a lighthearted and entertaining reminder of the weight that the past casts over our actions. The oblivious young leading characters are asked to pay a dear price for something they didn’t commit, and part of the irony comes from this “curse”. Especially contrasting with the burdensome past sins is the frivolous giddiness of Ah Chi who seems to fly unscathed through perils and vengeful presences only thanks to her absent mind, in typical comedy manner. (Adriana Rosati)
3. The Story of Woo Viet (1981)
Ann Hui’s approach here is quite intriguing, as, despite the dramatic premises, and the intense sociopolitical comments about the fate of the Vietnamese refugees, which are actually implemented as a metaphor for the then upcoming Handover, the main approach of the movie remains quite genre-like. The first aspect that shows this approach is the subtle romance/love triangle that is created between Woo Viet, Lap Quan and Shum Ching, but becomes even more evident as soon as the action kicks in, which is quite early on in the movie. The fact that Woo Viet is quite violent himself, and not particularly afraid of killing those who threaten his life or that of his loved ones, is the main source of this aspect, which carries on, from beginning to end. Even more so after the arrival in the Philippines, since the killer-for-hire job the protagonist takes, results in a series of rather brutal action scenes, where Ching Siu-tung’s action choreography finds its apogee. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
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4. Boat People (1982)
Unsurprisingly, “Boat People” has been the center of endless discussions, exploited by one side or the other according to the occasional need and frankly the dramatic rendering of the post-war Vietnamese Communism is truly affecting but we must not forget this is an Ann Hui’s movie and that consequently the focus and the perspective are on the ordinary people and their lives in a tragic and extraordinary moment in history. However, we cannot deny that, through another country’s history, the director has channeled the anxiety for the future that Hong Kong was experiencing at that time, the malaise of uncertainty as the handover was casting its shadow, the so-called China Syndrome. (Adriana Rosati)
5. Love in a Fallen City (1984)
This sets up a deeply unhealthy dynamic between the two characters, as Fan is in a situation of dominance over Bai, knows it and relinquishes it. At times, he seems to express genuine feelings for Bai, and sympathy for her unfortunate situation, but at other times the misogynistic Fan seems to be mocking and teasing her, or to only be wanting sex from her and nothing more. This ambiguity is ideal for Chow Yun Fat to shine in this early role in his career, and he oozes with charm and charisma in every single scene. But he also stands out in darker moments of self-introspection as his soulful character reveals more depth behind his apparent dandy cynicism. He recites poetry or waxes lyrics about the passage of time and the transient nature of civilizations, and will ultimately prove his uprightness in the last act by sticking to Bai and marrying her during the occupation (in what feels at points like a rushed conclusion). (Mehdi Achouche)
6. The Romance of Book and Sword (1987)
Ok, first things first. “The Romance of Book and Sword” is a mess, with the pacing, the way the story unfolds and the presentation of many of the characters being rather faulty. It actually becomes evident quite early on that the movie is exclusively directed to people who have already read the novel, since this is the only way to fully realize what is going on in the movie, at least apart from the main storyline. As such, the editing by John Chow, particularly regarding the succession of scenes, is quite problematic. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
7. Princess Fragrance (1987)
Somewhat toned down in its overcomplicated narrative in comparison with the first part, “Princess Fragrance” is at least as much a love story between two women and a man, as it is an action epic. Regarding the second part, the battles in the desert are quite impressive, with the two armies in horses clashing in the most brutal fashion, and a number of panoramic shots showing the events in excellent fashion. In general, as in the first part, DP Bill Wong’s cinematography, in the way he captures the different settings but particularly the desert, and Lu Yong-Quan’s action direction, are the best traits of the film, with their combination essentially carrying “Princess Fragrance” from beginning to end. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
8. Starry is the Night (1988)
A second trademark of Ann Hui’s works is that she manages to refocus the majority of her narrative in order to make them present comments about women. This approach here, however, is more than evident, since the protagonist is actually a woman, although the way the male characters become simply secondary ones, highlights the aforementioned. In that regard, her comments about the treatment of women throughout the two axes is quite pointed, as we watch Cai-Mei being criticized in the first for having a relationship with an older man, and in the second, with a younger. The fact that the people around her call her a tramp in both cases showcases the comment rather eloquently, while the scene with her meeting with her higher ups, and the even more significant judgment she receives there, cement this aspect. Lastly, the presentation of Dr Cheung’s wife is rather tragic, particularly in the way the story unfolds, with her presence adding another level to the comment. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
9. Song Of The Exile (1990)
Based on director Ann Hui’s semi-autobiographical story, “Song of the Exile” is a multi-layered family melodrama set in the 1970s. A young woman (a wonderful Maggie Cheung) returns home to Hong Kong for her sister’s wedding, after years studying and living in London. The trip triggers dormant sentiments and conflicts, especially between her and her mother, and the two set off on a trip to Japan in search of past and origins. A story of reconciliation and discovery, “Song of the Exile” is also about the many different Asian diasporas, the sense of belonging and perfectly embodies the moods of a population eternally trapped between ambivalent feelings toward the colonial administration and Mainland China. (Adriana Rosati)
10. The Swordsman (1990) by King Hu, Ching Siu-Tung, Tsui Hark, Raymond Lee, Ann Hui and Andrew Kam
Expectedly, when one considers all the people involved here, the tonal issues that appear throughout are to be expected, to a point at least. Particularly the fact that at points, the directors are not sure if the movie is a martial arts drama or a comedy, becomes painfully evident, with the transition between the two not working at all, either. Furthermore, the musical moments add even more to this aspect, while the story frequently appears as a kind of soap opera, particularly due to the interactions between men and women. These include some notions of sensualism, but for the most part, make very little sense, with a number of scenes involving women essentially being here just for fanservice. (Panos Kotzathanasis)
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