[2010.03.27] TEDDY CHAN CONSIDERS ANTI MOB FILM DREAM

courtesy of takungpao.com

Taiwan film MONGA made nearly NT$300 million at the Taiwan box office. Two nights ago many Hong Kong directors Teddy Chan Tak Sum, Joe Cheung Tung Cho, Teddy Robin Kwan, Cheung Kwok Ming and Derek Chiu Leung Chun supported the premiere. After the premiere they even attended an exchange with MONGA director Niu Chen-Zer. Most directors praised MONGA as quality work, pointing out that although the film used the mob as its background it can bring out positive message.

Chan Tak Sum pointed out that the film took place in the 70's with a group of young people who have not received adult identification cards yet joined the mob in order to make a name for themselves and be recognized in society. Loyalty lay between the young people. He pointed out that the director achieved depth because the end urged people not to join the mob. The film had educational value and he was teary eyed a few time during the viewing. He also pointed out that the Taiwan government provided a lot of support to the film industry, aside from the "assistance fund" to support film productions it also allocated fund to support Taiwan films. Two nights ago Hong Kong film development fund secretary Fung Wing attended in hopes that the Hong Kong government will be able to further support the Hong Kong film industry.

Chan Tak Sum expressed that years ago he wanted to make TSIM SHA TSUI DIK GOO SI (THE STORY OF TSIM SHA TSUI), like MONGA its background was the 70s mob. Most recently he also negotiated with Tsui Hark about A BETTER TOMORROW (YING HUNG BOON SIK) prequel, as they hoped to look for new young actors who resemble Chow Yun Fat and Ti Lung to perform. Yet he believed that no boss would want to invest because the 70s sets alone all had to be constructed from scratch, which would cost 20 to 30 million. Yet new comers had no overseas market value. As for the mob film ban in the Mainland, he expressed that he was not worried. He only wanted to bring out a positive message and hoped that young people would not join the mob. If no boss would invest, he would fund it when he saved up enough money in hopes of fulfilling his dream.