[2013.05.13] CHARLIE YEUNG AND CHEUK WAN CHI WRITE AND DIRECT

Charlie Yeung invites friend Aaron Kwok to star in her film CHRISTMAS ROSE

Charlie Yeung watches the playback right after the shoot to look for spots to improve upon

Cheuk Wan Chi heads off the camera with BAU 3 CHIU GIU WA

Barbara Wong has directed for years and is a well known director
courtesy of mingpao.com

The recent generation of female Hong Kong directors included Mabel Cheung Yuen Ting, Ann Hui On Wa, Sylvia Chang (Cheung Ngai Ga), Barbara Wong Chun Chun, Yanyan Mak Yuen Yan, Carol Lai Miu Shuet, Aubrey Lam Oi Wa. Starting in 2013, Charlie Yeung Choi Nei and Cheuk Wan Chi join the ranks. They most recently have gone from on camera to off camera as writers as well as directors, bringing a new front to the film industry.

After 20 years in the business Charlie has accumulated experience as model, actress and singer. Recently she was "promoted" to director and directing her first film CHRISTMAS ROSE (SING DAN MUI GWAI), which will be released at the end of the month. Many thought that Charlie fulfilling her director dream was by her own designs, but actually before making this film she never thought about directing. "In 2008 I suddenly had an idea and wanted to try to write a human story for the screen. Actually when I was writing the script, people around me affected me as I was very suspicious of myself. However I was able to persist to the end, the script competed in a contest and won. Originally I wanted Tsui Hark to direct for me, but he felt that I was the person who was the most familiar with the script. So he asked me to direct it myself."

Everything about directing depended on chance, the same goes for Cheuk Wan Chi. When she first came in contact with the film BAU 3 CHIU GIU WA she was only negotiating to play one of the roles, but the boss knew that she had short film production experience and asked her to direct as well. After agreeing right away, she even became its writer. "The Pang Ho Cheung directed VULGARIA (DAI JOOK HEI KET) seemed to have hog up everything last year, I too want to help revive the film industry. This time I am making an action comedy. Reminded that the market has fewer women films, I used a women's angle to make the action film."

As the directing fever started in the film industry, Vicki Zhao Wei, Simon Yam Tat wa and Nick Cheung Ka Fai have also joined the fray. The Zhao Wei directed youth film SO YOUNG exceeded 400 million yuan RMB at the Mainland box office and wrote a brilliant chapter for the new director. Best Actors Yam Tat Wa directed TALES FROM THE DARK (KEI WAN YEH) and Cheung Ka fai will soon start work on the supernatural film MENG LAN SUN GUNG. If they are able to make their releases this year, they may compete with Charlie and Cheuk Wan Chi for next year's Best New Director Hong Kong Film Award!