[2022.02.18] ANITA, MAMA'S AFFAIR ARE AMONG THE OSAKA ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL PARTICIPANTS

ANITA's cast and crew are excited about the film's film festival participation

Keung To is very excited about his film debut's participation in the film festival
courtesy of singtao.com

Keung To and Jer Lau put a lot of effort into their film debut

Teresa Mo has many fans in Japan
courtesy of on.cc

MAMA'S AFFAIR director Kearen Pang and actress Teresa Mo hope more people would recognize new Hong Kong actors

Keung To and Jer Lau are both surprised and pleased that their film debut would participate in the international film festival

Louise Wong (right) hopes that even more people would get to know the legendary Hong Kong heavenly queen Anita Mui

MY INDIAN BOYFRIEND, FAR FAR AWAY and THE FIRST GIRL I LOVED would also participate in the festival's Special Focus on Hong Kong 2022 segment
courtesy of mingpao.com

Keung To and his MIRROR bandmate Jer Lau Ying Ting made their film debut with Best Actress Teresa Mo Shun Kwan in the Kearen Pang Sau Wai directed Emperor Motion Picture MAMA'S AFFAIR (AH MA YAU JOR DAI YI GOR), which would participate in the 17th Osaka Asian Film Festival. Keung To was surprised and hoped that the Japanese audience would be able to sense their effort. Jer was excited and hoped that everyone through this would pay more attention to new Hong Kong actors.

Keung To and Jer's first film would participate in an overseas film festival. Keung To admitted that he was surprised. "I am very happy that MAMA'S AFFAIR would be able to participate in the Osaka Asian Film Festival. This is my first movie, I never thought that my first movie would already be able to participate in an international film festival. I feel very honored and hoped that the Japanese audience would sense our effort through the Japanese subtitle version. Everyone please support the film, thank you!"

Also making his debut on the big screen, Jer was excited about the film's Osaka Asian Film Festival participation. "This is Keung To's and my first movie. We put a lot of effort into it. I am very happy that this film would be able to break out of Hong Kong and the Japanese audience would be able to enjoy it. As a new comer, this film was a great learning opportunity. The international film festival participation would be a bonus. I hope everyone through this would pay more attention to new Hong Kong actors, so the Hong Kong show business would bloom in full more and more; I want to thank director Pang Sau Wai in particular. She very thoughtful taught us acting. Acting wise, Keung To's and my experience are relatively thin. In the preparation behind hand she put a lot of thought into assisting us with getting into our characters. She is a great director. In addition Sister Mo also kept teaching us thoughtfully. I am very happy to be able to work with different elders. At the same time thank you to the behind the scene workers, who took great care of us so we were able to give our best performance on screen."

Mo Shun Kwan was extra excited and said that it was like a shot of confidence. "I am very happy, especially when the pandemic has made everything exceptional dull. Hearing this good news, my spirit immediately lifted! I hope all viewers would like MAMA'S AFFAIR, which in the future would be able to participate in different film festivals and have success!"

Director Pang Sau Wai with her directing debut 29+1 won the Osaka Asian Film Festival audience award. She was elated about MAMA'S participation in the Osaka Asian Film Festival. "I am very happy, I have a special connection with the Osaka Asian Film Festival. The first movie I directed 29+1 also won an award at this film festival. I am very touch to be able to participate in it again......very regrettably this year I won't be able to personally attend the film festival." Pang Sau Wai even hoped that the Japanese audience through this would get to know new Hong Kong actors.

The film ANITA would participate in the 17th Osaka Asian Film Festival in March. Director Longman Leung said, "In the 80s and the 90s Japanese pop culture deeply influenced Hong Kong music. Sister Mui more than once revealed that she really liked Japan. This time ANITA would be able to participate in the Osaka Asian Film Festival, which truly would be very encouraging to our production team. I hope Japanese viewers and friends while reliving that era's music would also be able to remember this Hong Kong daughter's extraordinary life with us." Lead actress Louise Wong Dan Nei excitedly responded to the good news, "For a Hong Kong film to be able to attract viewers around the world is no easy task, so this selection has been an encouragement. Again I thank everyone for their support and love for this film. As an actor I feel very lucky to be able to make this meaningful film. I hope and wish for the film ANITA to be able to go even further, continue to introduce even more people to the story of this legendary Hong Kong heavenly queen Mui Yim Fong."

In addition, the Indian director Sri Kishore directed first Hong Kong Bollywood film MY INDIAN BOYFRIEND, the Amos Why (Wong Ho Yin) directed FAR FAR AWAY (YUEN LO SAN KA LA), TIME (SAT CHOOK GOR WONG FUN), and FIRST GIRL I EVER LOVED (HEI FOON NEI SI NEI) would also be participating in the Osaka Asian Film Festival's Special Focus on Hong Kong 2022 segment along with the two aforementioned films.

First time director Yeung Chiu Hoi was very happy to hear about the selection. "The event chose the film Ng Wing Shan and I directed, THE FIRST GIRL I LOVED, to participate in the film festival. I feel very honored and encouraged, thank you for the recognition of our teams. Regrettably I would not be able to personally attend and enjoy this film with the Japanese audience. I hope they like this film and everyone would continue to support Hong Kong film."

The two lead actresses Hegwig Tam Sin Yi and Renci Yeung Si Wing were surprised and pleased. Yeung Si Wing said, "I am very honored and very grateful. I would continue to work hard and make even more good films." Tam Sin Yin thanked each and every members of the cast and the crew, especially the director and the producer for spending a lot of time and effort on the production so this film would be able to be screened in Japan.

Director of the first Hong Kong Bollywood film, MY INDIAN BOYFRIEND's Indian director Sri Kishore was grateful. "Thank you to the Osaka Asian Film Festival jury for choose the film, for me to have a chance to become an important part of the film festival. I also have to thank Golden Scene for their tremendous support and encouragement, which enabled the film to be a success. I sincerely thank each and every person who participated in this film."

FAR's director Wong Ho Yin was happy that he was again selected to participate in the Osaka Asian Film Festival, and expressed helplessness for the pandemic delaying the film's Hong Kong release. "I am very happy because my first film DOT 2 DOT and my previous short film 4X4 both took part in the Osaka Asian Film Festival. In Osaka I met a group of viewers who particularly like to watch Hong Kong films. This time the Japanese premiere would be earlier than the Hong Kong release, which would be an experience for me."