In 2012, Ann Hui directed a short 20-minute film for the Hong Kong International Festival as part of a program called Beautiful. The tile is “My Way” and is a story about a transsexual woman, starring Francis Ng and Jade Leung.
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The story unfolds in a various time axes, although the present one seems to be taking place within the doctor’s office, where the protagonist, Chow, is about to have a sex change operation. A number of women who have undergone similar procedures are giving him advice, with the discussion revolving around size of breasts for the most part. In another axis, the protagonist, crossdressed, is going to the cinema to watch a movie, only to get weird looks from the ticket booth attendant, while when he tries to go to the women’s bathroom, the rest of the women there immediately run out.
On another axis, he is fighting on his phone with his wife, who is evidently infuriated and embittered by his decision, and channels her anger in a series of complaints and cursing. In yet another axis, this time in the past, and in the most impactful scene of the 20-minute short, his wife disocvers his cross-dressing tendencies, resulting in a huge fight. The acting of both Francis Ng and Jade Leung finds its apogee here, with the antithesis of their demeanor (the latter is apologetic and the former in full attack mode) working particularly well, highlighting the prowess of both.
Check the interview with the director
In that fashion, Hui makes a number of comments regarding trans people, with the way both other people and their own family perceive them, being quite realistic, even if with a tone of drama in the second aspect. At the same time, though, a note of optimist is also included here, both due to the support Chow receives from others in the same situation and due to the ending, which is somewhat romanticized, but actually concludes the whole thing in a very fitting note.
The cinematography is somewhat polished and desaturated, although obviously darker in the bad moments and brighter in the good ones. The editing results in a fitting fast pace that allows the story to unfold in such a brief time without particular rushing, while the intermingling of time axes definitely helps the narrative.
“My Way’ is not high art, but presents Hui’s comments eloquently, while the clash scene and the performances definitely make it a film worth watching.
