[2071.08.01] HONG KONG PREMIERE BRINGS BACK CHILDHOOD MEMORY FOR ANDREW LAU

courtesy of on.cc

courtesy of singtao.com

Andrew Lau

Zhang Hanyu, Zhu Yawen, Crystal Zhang, Liu Haoran
courtesy of mingpao.com

The film THE FOUNDING OF AN ARMY yesterday held a premiere at the Macau Tower. Director Andrew Lau Wai Keung and actors Zhu Yawen, Zhang Hanyu, Liu Haoran and Crystal Zhang Tianai, producer Huang Jianxin and chief planner Han Sanping attended. Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference vice chair Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Macau Chief Executive Fernando Chui Sai On, Media Asia group chief Peter Lam Kin Ngok and Bona film chief Yu Dong host the premiere launch ceremony.

Yesterday when the host asked director Lau Wai Keung about the challenges of making the film, he said, "The most important is to respect history, to display the framework of history in an even more human way, to make the movie great in order to move everyone and not to disappoint anyone!"

Speaking of the film making over 200 million RMB in the Mainland, Lau Wai Keung excitedly said, "It's only the third or fourth day. We will keep on going until September. We just returned from Guangzhou and tomorrow we will go to Beijing, whichever actor has time would take turn and participate in the promotion." As for Hong Kong box office expectation, he sad, "I heard that it hasn't opened in Hong Kong yet and the box office was already pretty good. Earlier at a general audience screenings at the Sunbeam Theaters on July 17h, the reaction exceeded expectation. Young people told me to make another one, the old folks were very excited and emotional from watching it. Their whole body was shaking. I am very happy to have such this type of response outside the Mainland. In addition it also brought back a childhood memory for me, 1,000 people watching a movie together. It felt like watching at a big theater."

As for his impression of Macau, Lau Wai Keung said that in 1995 he already frequently made movies there. In 2009 he even made LOOK FOR A STAR (YAU LUNG HEI FUNG) with Zhang Hanyu there. Even Jacky Cheung Hok Yau's music special was shot on location there. Liu Haoran last month went to shoot a variety program in Macau, but due to his busy work schedule he was unable to try the local delicacies. Lau Wai Keung said ha boss Lam Kin Ngok promised to take everyone to the best cuisine in town. Zhang Hanyu joked that they probably would be at an underground restaurant.