Film Edited by Arthur Tam [email protected] xxxx xxxx have voices that might not be heard, before and they have to study so – they’re very street smart – and sensitive topic, which can be stopped and about the changes in people’s many different types of braille for that’s what I found very charming. I at any time. lives. I think if you look at it, the different subjects. And in just one liked that a lot. themes are very similar. If you look afternoon, this one girl has to use all So now that you’re based in at the children being affected by these different tools to get through Was it strange that there are Hong Kong does that mean you’ll AIDS or the farmer who studies one class. It’s extremely difficult. some disabled students mixed pursue more issues dealing with environmental law to save his with non-disabled students? One Hong Kong? village, you see a common thread How many months did you have group is dealing with tangible Yes. There are many issues I’d emerging – the human spirit. This to spend filming? disabilities while the other like to explore, like ageing. And is what you can see in this film as The whole thing took over 90 days. one is not. then another one might be about Tattered and unwanted well. It is the challenge of the human And the post-production took a I think that it is good because, I media coverage in Hong Kong or But they’ll get through spirit, and it’s about humanity. long time because we had so much mean, the whole point about it the environmental issues here. I it and survive footage – 500 hours of footage. is having the visually impaired think Hong Kong is quite behind How emotionally different was it students integrated into the in waste management for a city so for you? What criteria did the students mainstream society and for other metropolitan. Those are things that in the Humanities Department at the Of course when you’re dealing with have to meet in order to students to get in touch with people people don’t necessarily know about Ruby’s new precious gem University of Hong Kong where she very serious, very emotional subjects participate in this film? with disabilities. Because very so I want to tackle them. has spent time teaching as well as like children dying of AIDS versus They had a casting call and then seldom do people encounter those Arthur Tam speaks with the Academy Award-winning director working on her newest project. As young people finding themselves they had to pass two auditions, but with disabilities and I think it’s a Do you think you have a further with her previous documentaries, and their place in society, it’s very first the teacher had to recommend good way to integrate both. insight into how Hong Kong Ruby Yang about her new documentary, My Voice, My Life, which Yang gets right to the heart of the different. But I would say I’m the student. adolescents are now? looks into the lives of young Hongkongers discovering their identity issues that many young students equally moved by the connection Kind of like mutually learning Yes. They suffer from attention face. My Life, My Voice, is poignant, between students and their parents This sounds like some kind of from each other. deficit syndrome. I think most teens ong Kong is not a city known winning director Ruby Yang, she has almost made it her duty heartfelt and her most relatable and teachers. These are things that idol competition. Absolutely. It forces the students now are always distracted and on for its documentaries. With who releases her first Hong Kong to bring a voice to and expose the work to date. We sit down with we constantly confront every day It kind of is. The students needed to really care for other people and their mobile devices. They are very Ha shrinking film industry based documentary on October under-represented and marginalised the accomplished director at and those are things that I think are some singing skills. At least to be it makes them more thoughtful well protected and they have money that’s constantly hit with budget 16, My Voice, My Life, which through her documentaries. A her office in HKU to talk about important to everyone. on pitch. The students who could and conscious of people living with to spend. Their allowance is pretty cuts, directors usually opt for safe, follows the lives of students who filmmaker with compassion, she her process, inspirations and not sing well joined in other ways disabilities. A lot of young people big, even though their parents are commercial, profit making films. are underprivileged, disabled and spent 22 years in San Francisco, the opportunity to work with How did you get involved with like building the set or helping with can be self-centered, so I think this is not that well off. And now they Documentaries are simply too risky suffering from low self-esteem, but California, before uprooting herself, Hong Kong’s youth. this project? the wardrobe and makeup. So there good training. are more encouraged to gain other and more often than not, they don’t who find their identity through taking a chance, and moving to I’ve been in touch with the L Plus were 50 people working backstage. learning experiences. yield any sort of major return. And musical theatre. Believe us, it’s a China to document an AIDS stricken H Creations Foundation (a social So that’s 80 people in total. Quite a What motivated you to step into even if someone wanted to make weepy tearjerker. village in the Yingzhou District of enterprise that improves the lives big group of students. the world of documentaries in What’s the general takeaway a documentary, finding investors, Yang is not afraid of exposing the Anhui province, China. The of underprivileged youth through the first place? message you want the audience distributors and screening venues tough and difficult situations. After result was The Blood of Yingzhou art) for a couple years. We wanted What was the biggest challenge I like documentaries because they to take from this film? can prove difficult. This however, graduating with an MFA in film District, which earned her an Oscar It is the challenge to work together on a project, so in this documentary? bring me to different situations. I think some main themes are the hasn’t stopped Academy Award- from the San Francisco Art Institute, in 2006. Since then, Yang has when they had this musical with Trying to fit the story into a 90 Real life situations that I otherwise importance of art and education. released Tongzhi in Love in 2008, of the human spirit, these students, they asked me to minute film while having the stories wouldn’t have an opportunity to And also the importance of people which shows homosexual men in make a documentary about it. I saw of all the different characters flow experience like the eight years I connecting with each other, whether Full of gems and it’s about Film Director Ruby Yang China leading double lives with humanity their first rehearsal and I noticed a together without any duplicating spent in China. What’s better than it’s parents and kids or teachers boyfriends outside of their marriage student named Chi-lok. He’s one of messages. It’s just about refining just experiencing life and talking to and students. And also connecting Film to women, which they maintain to the visually impaired students and and balancing everything. people about their lives? to the community, like bringing fulfil their family duties. And in Nice to meet you Professor I was very moved by him. I knew students together that are and are 2010, Yang was nominated for an Yang. Your newest film is quite there was a story. Students from third band schools What’s the difference in not disabled. Oscar for The Warriors of Qiuqiang, a divergence from your previous (lower achieving schools) are shooting a documentary here which depicted a group of villagers works that were more… What resonated with you about often looked down upon. But rather than the Mainland? What was the best part of that fought against three chemical Serious? the students from the Ebenezer from your experience, do you Here, as long as you get the filming this documentary? factories that were polluting and School and Home for the think any of those stereotypes permission from the person or place I got to be back in high school and devastating their lands. Well, yes. What was the Visually Impaired? hold true? to shoot you just shoot – but in hang out with students like I was After spending eight years in the experience like? And did you The courage in them. I didn’t realise I think they are as smart, active China that’s not the case. Even with one of them. Mainland, Yang moved back to her have to face new challenges? how difficult it is for them to study and worldly as people from higher the person’s permission, you might native Hong Kong last year and was Well I think all my films are about because I hadn’t had any encounters achieving academic schools. In fact I not be able to continue shooting My Voice, My Life CALVIN SIT CALVIN appointed as a distinguished fellow identity – a group of people who with visually impaired students find they have conventional wisdom because you might be touching on a Premieres Thu Oct 16.