[2016.04.16] RONALD CHENG THANKS ANDREW LAU FOR A HELPING HAND

courtesy of mingpao.com

Sunbeam's Li Kui Ming
courtesy of on.cc

Famous director Andrew Lau Wai Keung yesterday held a personal collection exhibit at the Sunbeam Theater. Artists Ronald Cheng Chung Kei and Lo Hoi Pang were among the opening ceremony ribbon cutting guests. Cheng Chung Kei due to his drunken flight incident fell to his lowest in his career, luckily Lau Wai Keung pulled him back up and gave him the rebound; Director Lau, his wife and daughter also appeared. Director Lau said that he spent two years to prepare the exhibit and joked that he had to keep working hard on making money to find an even larger place to display his collection.

The items on display included FROM VEGAS TO MACAU (DOH SING FUNG WON)'s "Silly Keung" robot, antique photography and movie cameras, guitar, posters, retro movie set folding chairs and all of Lau Wai Keung's awards including the Hong Kong Film Award and the Golden Horse Award. During the unveiling Lau Wai Keung's film industry contribution was praised. Lo Hoi Pang joked that he did not know why he was invited, perhaps the director wanted him to "check the mic". Cheng Chung Kei brought up how fortunate he was to receive director Lau Wai Keung's help after his drunken flight incident.

Lau Wai Keung said that he spent two years to prepare the exhibit. Over the years he kept collecting various antique cameras in hopes of being able to open a film archive. He never got an estimate of how much his collection was worth. He only hoped to keep working hard on making money for an even larger scale personal exhibit. Would his children continue his work in the film industry? Director Lau said, "Both sons are studying film, but my daughter is studying psychology and has no interest in the business."

Cheng Chung Kei gave an antique camera to Lau Wai Keung. He said that after his drunken flight incident, his career fell to its bottom. Luckily Lau Wai Keung pulled him back up and put him in BULLETS OF LOVE (BUT SEI CHING MAI), since then he became interested in photography. He said, "When Lau Wai Keung made LOOK FOR A STAR (YAU LUNG HEI FUNG) he gave me a lot of opportunities. Originally he wanted me to be the cinematographer, because at the time the actors were (Andy) Lau Tak Wa and (Sammi) Cheng Sau Man, I didn't dare to embarrass myself."

Sunbeam Theater said that the exhibit was a test. Later even more directors would be invited to hold exhibits. Sunbeam hoped that its culture would not be limited to only Cantonese Opera as it planned to hold photography exhibits, book fairs and auctions in the future. Sunbeam already thought about inviting Cherie Chung Chor Hung to hold a photography exhibit, and Kenny Bee (Chung Chun To) and Ray Lui Leung wai to hold calligraphy exhibits.