Editor: Diao Jiayi★ 人物 Designer: Tian Hu★ 9 Copy Editor: S. Derrick★ PEOPLE Getting Investment is Hard, I Will Not Change My Mind What does judging at an internation- Hong Kong Film Awards 2017 wit- personalities and appearances and al film festival mean？ To Hong Kong di- nessed the springing up of new film- said, "Despite a feminine name and rector Mabel Cheung, it means a chance makers. Many new directors showed gentle and frail- looking appearance, to watch a lot of good films she has sel- their outstanding talent, for which she actually has a personality like a dom watched and communicate with out- Cheung was very delighted. She said man. She neglects of minor points of standing international filmmakers. In that Hong Kong Government made conduct such as drinking；on the con- spite of having judged at the Shanghai In- new plans to encourage new directors trary, I pay more attention to trifles such ternational Film Festival, the Tokyo Inter- and new films. If the script is shortlisted, as dialogues in film—in such a contrast national Film Festival and other interna- a fund of HKD 2 million will be provided context we have been ‘harmoniously tional film festivals, she remained enthu- as a support. Cheung said that without cooperating’all the way." siastic and devoted as a judge at BJIFF the government's support to new direc- Alex Law once encouraged Mabel 2017. When being told that judges can do tors, others may be difficult to obtain in- Cheung to cooperate with other screen- nothing but watch films in Huairou during vestment. writers, as there might be different colli- the festival, she said, "That's great. It is sion of ideas. "But after a meeting or two right that every judge should concentrate Directors Should Have Their Values with others, Mabel always turned to me." on films instead of being let out." Investment is a pain of Mabel When asked about such closeness be- Cheung. As she does not follow the tween them, Mabel Cheung‘s answer is I Have Watched Mr. No Problem trend, it is hard for her to find investors quite simple: "It’s just because we have Studying Psychology Assists a Lot Before in Tokyo for almost all films: "I take every film as tacit understanding between each other. to Make Films It is the first time for Cheung to par- my last one, so I try my best on every I find it easier to shoot based on the Mabel Cheung graduated from Uni- ticipate in BJIFF. She was most im- film I direct." script he writes." versity of Hong Kong majoring in British pressed by its "internationality": There Despite financing hurdles, Mabel What if conflicts occur during the Literature and Psychology, studied dra- are many "international judges", only Ji- Cheung still does not want to follow cooperation？ Mabel said the director ma and visual arts in University of Bris- ang Wenli and I are from China, all en- the trend. "I have little knowledge of makes the final call. They usually work tol, and then obtained her master’s de- tries are outstanding ones from across either fashion or what begins to get as the screenwriter and the director by gree in Film from NYU Film School. Un- the world, and many of them are rare." popular and when. commercial films turns. "Although as the screenwriter, fortunately, in the film industry with em- Of the 15 entries this year, she said she do not appeal to me. For any direc- one can have many ideas, and there phasis on luck, she could not forecast had watched Mr. No Problem during the tors, we should never forget our per- are arguments, at the shooting site, the the success or failure of a film: "It is dif- Tokyo International Film Festival. "I sistence in film, serve the hour all the director has the final say. We have co- ficult to predict if a film will be success- heard that some scenes had been re- way, or lose our own style. Directors operated in this way for so many years, ful. Sometimes, the boss tries very hard edited, but I wanna watch the film again." should stay away from impetuousness and we won't be swayed by personal in using the best cast, crew, motions Cheung‘s film career was smooth. instead of following suit. We should feelings but will be getting more used to and visual effects including special ef- In 1985, her directorial debut The Illegal get our own label. In my view, follow- each other." fects. But its box office may be unsatis- Immigrant won her the Hong Kong Film ing the trend is not specific to a direc- Among Hong Kong directors, Ma- factory. Therefore, for a director, it is Award for Best Director and the Jury tor. A true director should have sto- bel Cheung is an early one who came the most important to follow your heart Grand Prix at the 30th Asian Pacific Film ries from his/her heart as well as con- to the mainland for making films. She to make the film which you have an im- Festival. An Autumn’s Tale（1987）sig- tent that can be shared with the audi- said that she wouldn‘t confine herself pulsion to create." naled another high point of her career, ence," said Mabel Cheung who stuck to Hong Kong. She would like to go Although the box office is unpredict- winning four Hong Kong Film Awards, to making films that could touch her wherever good stories and good actors able, the psychology benefits a lot to including Best Picture and Best Screen- and stir up her creation inspiration and actresses are: "Hong Kong direc- her. She said that she pays more atten- play. The Soong Sisters （1997） won over the years. tors can make use of bigger environ- tion to the effect of growth on personali- three Taiwan Golden Horse Awards and "For me, any film that can touch me ment, more actors and actresses, ty in writing scripts. It is important to go six Hong Kong Film Awards. City of is a good one, of course, not just in- more convenient resources of the deeper rather than being superficial. For Glass（1998）, Beijing Rocks（2001）and cluding chick flick. fabulous films with mainland to shoot films. After all, Hong cast selection, she has her own unique documentary Traces of a Dragon alien subject can also move me, only if Kong is too small, while the mainland perspective, such as Hsu Chi in City of （2003）were awarded in other film festi- alien characters are created to be full of has a large space. There’s no bound- Glass and Aarif Rahman in Echoes of vals. In 2010 she supervised Echoes of vivid details," said Mabel when she an- ary for film creation. I will go wherever the Rainbow. Speaking of this, she is ful- the Rainbow, the winner of the Crystal swered the question as to what a good the place is suitable for shooting. How- Bear Award at the Generation Section ly confident: "I just see the photos in- film is like. ever, Hong Kong directors shouldn’t of the 60th Berlin International Film Fes- stead of works to judge whether the ac- give up their principles in making films tival, as well as four Hong Kong Film tor/actress is right." Director Makes the Final Call or lose their own styles in order to Awards: Best Screenplay, Best Actor, In Cheung’s view, since the young Mabel Cheung and her husband Al- serve the hour." Best New Performer and Best Original actors/actresses for now hold similar ex Law were classmates in their univer- According to Mabel, she will go to Film Song. Her latest directorial effort is competence and good appearance, it is sity, and also have been partners in Cuba to shoot a film with a contempo- A Tale of Three Cities starring Jean Lau required to "try harder" in order to stand many films. rary theme. The shooting is expected to and Tang Wei in 2015 nominated for five out. She added: "Luck is also important In a previous interview, Alex dis- begin at the end of this year, and the Hong Kong Film Awards. in this industry." closed they have materially different present job is to get the story ready..