Conversation on Film with
Jacob Cheung and Ti Lung

The following is a transcript from a Conversation in Film held at the opening night of the Australian Hong Kong Film Festival in Melbourne on 25 November 1999, following a screening of The Kid. Present were Jacob Cheung (director) and Ti Lung (actor). The guests spoke in Cantonese - the conversation was ably translated and moderated by Stephen Teo, who did a superb job as intermediary. [I use the word 'transcript' loosely - I was writing as fast as I could, and sincerely hope that this is a fair representation of what was said.]
Stephen Teo began by introducing the guests, and talking briefly about The Kid as a film about the way that people reacted to the Asian economic crisis. He then invited the dreictor to speak about the film. Jacob Cheung: "If I were to consider the commercial properties of the film then I would consider it a failure. If Hong Kong cinema is just action and violence, then of course it is a failure. I've tried my best to show that however you are affected by the economic crisis, you should not forget to have a care for family. This is how I feel - that people affected by the crisis need a film like this. I hope that you can feel all these sentiments when watching it. I have such a good actor by my side that we can show so many things about the people of Hong Kong - he can convey all of these feelings - we can express them through the film. But I have no doubt that Ti Lung will surely express what he feels!" Ti Lung: "Thank you. I have no prepared speech. A good film doesn't need a lot of dialogue. I've seen the Australian film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. I can feel the sincerity of the film-makers. Then there is Mad Max for action. Film has no borders. You are all here - all passionate about film - YOU are the reason why we make these films. I would like to express my thanks to you. I was here in Australia ten years ago to promote A Better Tomorrow. (I've enjoyed a lot of seafood in Australia!) The audience is so passionate, so friendly, always with a smile on your faces - we in Hong Kong should learn from you. I make films - I can't find fulfillment through a materialistic lifestyle. I drive a cheap car (a Subaru!), I take the bus with my son. My only objective is to make good films. My objective is to bring hope. And I sincerely hope to see a lot more Australian films."	Stephen Teo introduces: Jacob Cheung, and Ti Lung. [Click images for larger.]
[Questions were then invited from the audience. I've indicated the language the question was asked in, because I think it shows something about the interests of the Chinese vs. the gweilo audience.] Q. [English]: Would you consider shooting a film in Australia? Jacob Cheung: "Anyone want to fund my film? Film has no borders - Hollywood, China, wherever, I wish I could continue to make films - I hope Australian films can be shown in China." Q. [Chinese]: How come Qi Qi did not come? [Qi Qi also starred in The Kid, and was supposed to be the third guest on the night.] Jacob Cheung: "You know how tall I am? I feel I have certain problems communicating with Qi Qi." [This was a visual gag. Qi Qi is very tall. Jacob is... not.] "In fact, she is busy making an Omega watch commercial in Rome. She wanted me to tell you that she very much wanted to come. She feels that this film is representative of her. She is sorry that she can't come." Q. [English]: Ti Lung, are you hopeful for the future of Hong Kong film? Are things different now to the Shaw Brothers days? Ti Lung: "Times change. It progresses. We need new faces. When I was making martial arts films, computers were not common. Nowadays, people believe computers more than they believe in kung fu. Still, I think that love conquers all! Whatever you do (including films), it is an honourable thing. Shaw Brothers was an illustrious era. It's my hope that there's more studios like Shaw Brothers in the future. At that time, special effects were not very common. If I needed to do a jump - I had to go to a great height and jump down - I had to be very accurate! Nowadays there are lots of infrastructure including special effects. Nowadays uses a lot of explosives - not my taste." Q. [English]: Jacob, do the HKSAR help the industry? Could they do more? I have read some things that imply they are not doing enough. Jacob Cheung: "Two years ago the HK government allocated $100M to promote HK cinema. Today we can see that Hong Kong government is supporting cinema." [He indicated the audience, and thereby the festival.] Ti Lung: "I think that the Hong Kong government should give you all some beer - this discussion is getting too serious! We should just talk about movies - wouldn't that be better?" Jacob Cheung: "70% of Canadian film-makers rely on government support - a lot in Japan rely on it - in Taiwan if you want to write a script you can apply for government funds. There is no such support in Hong Kong - I believe if we are serious we will work hard to make films. If we can survive under difficult circumstances, it's a good taste for us. Our cinema is going through a challenge. Just as my film The Kid - if not for Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung, I couldn't have made it. Leslie worked for no salary. Ti Lung rejected other work, and worked at a reduced salary. I believe you would not find the same situation in Canada and Japan. Film is a common language, it imparts the same value to everybody. First of all, I'd like to thank my star, Ti Lung." Ti Lung: "The director thanks me, and I thank him - but it's not enough - we have to thank YOU." Q. [Chinese] Who wrote the screenplay? Jacob Cheung: "It was adapted from Charlie Chaplin's film of the same name. I hired a new writer. Everybody did their part - camera, crew - film is teamwork." [applause] Jacob Cheung: "Why do they applaud every time I say thank you?" Q. [Chinese]: Was the idea yours, or did you find the script? Jacob Cheung: "What I can say is that there was a master I could learn from - Chaplin. In Hong Kong I had a good subject to work on - the economic crisis." Q. [Chinese]: Ti Lung, in the film you acted as the policeman - what is going to happen to him? [Ti Lung conferred with the director for a while.] Ti Lung: "This is a very strange question! If you think the story will continue, I fully support it, but you have to write a good and reasonable story, or you might harm what happens in this film." Q. [Chinese]: Ti Lung - you previously made martial arts films, very good ones. Now you are making melodramas. Will you continue to make these? Ti Lung: "I entered the industry at Age 18. I trained for one year. I played bit parts. I have won two Golden Horse Awards and two awards at the Singapore event. For ten years I have been in the Top Ten of the most popular Hong Kong stars. But all this is not important. What is important is that I can continue to make good films. I am willing to do this for the rest of my life, and hope I will make a good film for all the audience." [Clare Stewart from the Australian Film Institute signalled that there was time for perhaps one more question.] Q. [Chinese and English - this lady supplied her own translation!]: I don't know if this is the time to ask - but can I get an autograph? [And with this, the conversation was declared to be over, and the audience - with a fearsome force of middle-aged Chinese ladies leading the charge - rushed the stage, pens and programs at the ready!]

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