Post Apocalyptic Hong Kong is a series of 5 short films, reimagining the city in a dark and dangerous light. Cast in the shadows of the anti-extradition protests and the pandemic, the future, infinitely fraught, hangs in the balance. Questions of histories, humanity, and freedom are launched to the forefront in this examination of the unknown.
1. Depths of Night 極夜
Hong Kong / 2021 / 13 mins / Colour / In Cantonese with Chinese & English subtitles
Director: Step C
It portrays the author’s fear of change. It feels like the soul has been broken into many pieces endlessly, but as long as we can survive, depths of night pass eventually.
極夜刻劃着作者面對扭曲的恐懼,只能用動畫記錄着當刻的感覺,延伸很多問題,為什麼人會恐懼呢?過去現在未來的自己如何面對這些情感?感覺就像是靈魂粉身碎骨無限次,但只要我們捱得過,極夜總會過去的。
Official Selection:
- Golden Horse Film Festival 2021
Director’s Biography:
Step.C was born in Hong Kong and is an animation director, illustrator, and educator. She graduated from a Canadian university in visual arts, animation, and photography, and also studied multimedia animation and illustration courses in Hong Kong, France, and New York. Step.C likes to discuss the relationships between people and enjoys creating in different media. Her work include animations for the 903 music festival, performances by Terence Lam, RubberBand, Dear Jane X Aga, Yoyo Sham, and Panther Chan, animations for RubberBand's "Every Little Thing" music video, Yoyo Sham's "Born on 00.00.00" music video, and Terence Lam’s "doodoodoo" music video.
Her personal animated short film "Polaris" was made with the lyrics by Siu Hak, and the ending theme song was sung by Charmaine Fong Ho Man. "Polaris" was nominated for the 58th Golden Horse Awards and won 18 local and international awards. It has also been shown at more than 50 international film festivals.
導演簡介
張小踏出生於香港,動畫導演,畫插畫師和教育工作者。 畢業於加拿大大學視覺藝術,動畫和攝影,亦在香港,法國和紐約進修多媒體動畫藝術和插畫課程。 小踏喜歡討論人與人之間的關係,喜歡不同媒介嘅創作,作品包括903拉闊音樂會,林家謙 , RubberBand , Dear Jane X Aga, 岑寧兒,陳蕾演唱會動畫, RubberBand 《每道微小》MV ,岑寧兒《無常家》MV, 林家謙 《doodoodoo》。
個人動畫短片《極夜》,並邀請小克作詞、方皓玟演唱片尾曲《#漫漫碎》。《極夜》入圍58屆金馬獎,獲個獎項18個本地和國際獎項, 並參加逾50個國際影展。
2. Lost Pearl 失城
Hong Kong / 2021 / Colour / 21 mins / In Cantonese with Chinese and English Subtitles
Director: Steve LI
While protests rage in Hong Kong, Kit spends most of his time on his father’s fishing boat. The radio and his phone keep him abreast of the latest developments. He sometimes meets with friends, but his uncertainty about the future just keeps increasing.
香港示威浪潮開到荼蘼,阿杰長期協助⽗親捕魚,一直只能透過收音機隔岸觀火;女友移民,阿杰無力挽留,他和同伴的秘密基地又被破壞,令他對未來愈感焦慮……
Official Selection:
- 51st International Film Festival Rotterdam 2022
- Minikino Film Week 8 - Bali International Short Film Festival 2022
Nomination:
- Best Short Film at Arctic Film Festival 2022
Award:
- Special Jury Mention at Batumi International Short Film Festival 2022
Director’s Biography:
Steve Li is an independent Hong Kong based writer-director, active since graduating from CUHK Business School. Li’s drama short “Lost Pearl” was selected at the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2022 amongst other international film festivals. His film, “Taste of Tomato” (2019) was selected for the 13th Fresh Wave Short Film Festival. Alongside producing short films, he has been writing feature films. In 2021, he finished his first feature film proposal “Beyond the Waves” which entered 4th HAF Film Lab. Currently, he is working on his second feature proposal “Anthea”.
導演簡介
畢業於香港中文大學商學院,現為香港獨立電影導演、編劇。編導短片《失城》(2021)入圍第51屆鹿特丹電影節及其他國際影展。短片《蕃茄田》(2019)入圍第13屆鮮浪潮國際短片節。製作短片期間,亦持續編寫長片劇本。首部長片計劃《夏潮》入選第4屆HAF Film Lab。《菩薩低眉》是其第二部長片計劃。
3. THAT SPRING, IN THE SKY OF H-VILLE, THERE WAS ____
那年春天,H城的天空上出現了__
Hong Kong / 2022 / Colour, B&W / 9 mins / In Cantonese with Chinese and English Subtitles
Director: Chung Hong IU
That spring, there was _____ in the sky of H-ville. What is _____? No one can tell. The sudden “unknown” caused absurd and strange phenomena. The real nightmare was not a natural disaster, but a man-made one. The regime used this to implement the "state of exception". The system continued to operate. How much human value would be left?
那年春天,H城的天空上出現了__。__是什麼?沒人說得準。突如其來的未知,帶來荒謬感,引發光怪陸離的現象。真正的噩夢不是天災,而是人禍,權力藉此實行「例外狀態」,系統卻繼續運行,人的價值還剩多少?
Director's Statement:
As Giorgio Agamben stated at the beginning of the pandemic, “The epidemic has caused to appear with clarity that the state of exception, to which governments have habituated us for some time, has truly become the normal condition.”
The idea started in early 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic. But a lot of revisions were made due to the situation and changes in my own life.
The film is set in a sci-fi background. Rough special effects, that I am not good at, are used to create a not-too-distant future. All the dystopian elements in films and literature are happening all around us nowadays. The so-called "future" is actually the present. Thus, could this film be considered as a critical documentary? The film starts as sci-fi, but finally an essay film.
The image of "H-ville" in the story is based on Hong Kong, but changes were made. First, it is because the phenomenon I criticise is not only in Hong Kong, but also in other places under capitalism and globalisation. Secondly, Hong Kong is changing rapidly. Even the HongKongers feel unfamiliar (“jamais vu”?) and sometimes find it hard to recognise.
阿甘本(Giorgio Agamben)在疫情之初提出:「瘟疫揭露出一件令人不安的事,即執政者早就讓我們適應的例外狀態已經真正變成了常態。」本片意念萌生於2020年春天,大疫之初,卻隨著事情發展以及自己生活上的轉變,而大幅修改。影片採用科幻背景,運用我不擅長而粗糙的特技,營造一個不遠的未來。文藝創作中一切反烏托邦的元素,正發生在我們周遭,所謂的「未來」就是現在,本片何嘗不是批判的紀錄片?雖以科幻起始,最終還是論文電影。
故事中「H城」的形象,雖以香港為藍本,卻改頭換面。其一因為所批判的現象,既是香港,又不僅於香港,也見於資本主義及全球化下其他地方。其二,急速轉變的香港,即使是香港人,也覺陌生,有時都已認不出來了。
Director’s Biography:
Chung Hong IU is an independent film director based in Hong Kong. He graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and worked in an NGO. He has a vocation for social movement and filmmaking. He directed the documentary, Hong Kong's "Road to the Abolishment of Death Penalty", for Amnesty International Hong Kong in 2013. His short film "The Autonomous Era" (2015) earned Special Mention in Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival 2015 and REC Film Festival Berlin 2017.
His experimental short "After the Riots, Before the Liberation" (2020) earned the Award for Excellence in the 35th Image Forum Festival in Japan. He is also an amateur photographer. His photography works were exhibited in numerous galleries in London, Rome, Athens and Chicago.
導演簡介
姚仲匡,香港獨立電影導演,香港中文大學社會科學學士(新聞與傳播)及基督教研究文學碩士。曾於⺠間團體工作,遊走於社運與影像之間。曾為國際特赦組織(香港分會) 於香港廢除死刑20周年拍攝紀錄片《香港廢死之路》(2013);劇情短片《自主時代》(2015) 曾於第10屆香港鮮浪潮國際短片展及第26屆柏林REC國際電影節獲特別表揚;實驗短片《暴動之後,光復之前》(2020) 於日本Image Forum電影節獲優秀賞。此外,他亦是業餘攝影師,作品曾於倫敦、羅馬、雅典、芝加哥等地展出。
4. Time, and Time Again
Hong Kong / 2022 / B&W / 30 mins / In Cantonese with Chinese and English Subtitles
Director: Asgard WONG
Detective Max is sent to investigate a mysterious missing case, only to discover the remnant of a cult ritual and a murder scene. Yet, the power left behind by the rite sends Max back to his past.
Once again, he sees a late friend and faces the unsolved case he regrets the most. Meanwhile, the culprit of the murder scene is lurking in Max's shadow, waiting for an opportunity.
Within Max's dismal past, lies perhaps a glimmer of hope for redemption.
探員Max被派往調查一宗神秘失蹤事件,但在現場等待他是一個邪教祭祀和凶殺案留下的痕跡。儀式殘存著力量意外地把他送到不久之前的過去。
Max被逼再一次面對已逝去的故人,和他心裡悔恨的一單懸案。同時,失蹤案的元兇緊隨著Max,看著他的一舉一動,伺機而動。
在Max不願回首的過去𥚃,也許有著一絲希望……
Selected in:
- Special mention at 16th Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival 2022
Director’s Statement:
My application referenced heavily to my final year project as I don't have many past works. I wrote the story based on the style of my FYP and what I would like to try after I was told I passed the first round interview.
Rather than "what to tell", I focused more on "how to tell" during the stage. It was May 2021. I wrote whatever I consider to be within my capability. I did not have any worry other than the production.
It has been more than a year since I signed up for the competition. What we are allowed to say today is anyone's guess. Perhaps, "how to say" is what we should be focusing on.
導演的話
我過往沒有太多作品,所以報名參賽時,只敢提出與畢業作品路線相近的短片。
這故事是以畢業作品的路線、和想嘗試的拍攝手法為前設,在得知通過初選後才動筆寫。比起「説什麼」,當初比較集中想「如何説」。那時是2021年的5月,自覺有能力拍出來的就寫下去,沒有別的顧慮。
由報名參賽、到寫劇本、到拍攝完畢、到誰也不知道什麼能説的今天,也許「如何説」,才是我們要想的問題。
Director’s Biography:
Since 2013, when a short film I was a part of was selected by a German film festival, there seems to be a strange connection between myself and the country. I worked as a 2nd AC on the film "Guns Akimbo" there.
After returning to Hong Kong, I applied to multiple production assistant jobs to no avail. I work mostly as an assistant camera or VFX artist in indie projects.
Realising how close filmmakers from other Asian countries work with the European industry, I hope to return to Germany to seek new possibilities there as a Hong Kong filmmaker, particularly during this diasporic time of our city.
導演簡介
自2013年參與的短片入圍德國電影節開始與德國結下不解之緣,曾在當地參與電影《Guns Akimbo》的攝影組。
回港後多番嘗試應徵製作助理不果,現多在獨立製作中擔任攝影助手或視覺特效。
最近認知到其他亞洲區電影人與歐洲電影工業的合作後,希望能回德國尋找自己作為香港電影人,在港人離散年代下的出路。
5. Walk Along The Wall 十二點前我要返屋企
Hong Kong / 2021 / Colour / 30 mins / In Cantonese with English Subtitles
Writer/Director: Kin-pong IEONG
Cau locks himself in a room inside the red-walled compound for days. He becomes mentally fragile.
Mung is wandering in the building, searching in darkness. She records her thoughts wherever she goes.
Tung Tung and Coffee cannot withstand the feeling of being trapped. They decide to leave through a dangerous way.
秋把自己困在牆內的一個偏僻的房間幾天,精神不穩。他藏著許多鬱悶,卻無處發泄。夢在牆內四處走,害怕黑暗的她,在停電的漆黑中摸索。她走到一個無人的房間,用語音紀錄下幾天被困的心情。冬冬與齋啡受不住牆外不知名的人的包圍,決定循危險的方法離去。
Selected in:
- 15th Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival 2022
Director’s Biography:
IEONG Kin-pong creates images in different media. Since the 2014 umbrella revolution of HK, he made some narrative and non-narrative shorts on the status of HK people. In 2019, he helped make documentaries of the people during the anti-extradition bill movement. He keeps on living and filming in Hong Kong.
導演簡介
楊建邦,涉獵不同媒介的香港影像工作者。2019年香港反送中運動中,協助不同媒體紀錄香港的狀況。爾後,在陰霾籠罩下的香港,繼續影像創作。