[2024.03.09] LI LINLIN WANTS HER WHOLE FAMILY IN A MOVIE

courtesy of on.cc

Karen Lam has so many ceramics exhibits that people thinks she has changed jobs
courtesy of singtao.com

Li Linlin, direct Ray Yeung, Patra Au attend the Hong Kong International Film Festival press conference

Karena Lam has been invited to be the Film Festival ambassador

Fruit Chan says new directors have many genres to choose from
courtesy of mingpao.com

The 48th Hong Kong International Film Festival would take place between March 28th and April 8th, over 190 films from 62 nations and regions would be screened over 12 days. They would include 5 world premieres, 6 international premieres and 64 Asian premieres. Yesterday at the press conference, the film festival ambassador Karena Lam Ka Yan, the filmmaker in focus Fruit Chan Gor, ALL SHALL BE WELL director Ray Yeung Yiu Hoi, actresses Patra Au Ka Man and Li Linlin (Lee Lam Lam), LOVE LIES (NGOR TAM DIK NA CHEUNG LUEN OI) director Ho Miu-ki, producer Chan Hing Ka, one of the FRESH OFF MARKHAM (BAI JAU MAK SING) directors Trevor Choi Hong Ying, actor Jessica Chan Yi Chun and other attended in support.

The Hong Kong International Film Festival Association chair Wilfred Wong Ying Wai at the press conference announced that this year's opening film would be the Au Ka Man and Lee Lam Lam starred ALL SHALL BE WELL (CHUNG GUM YI HAU), which just won the Teddy Award at the Berlin Film Festival; the closing film would Japanese director Sho Miyake directed, Hokuto Matsumura and Mone Kamishiraishi starred ALL THE LONG NIGHTS.

Lee Lam Lam has retired from film for over 30 years. Her film ALL SHALL BE WELL earlier won the Berlin Film Festival Teddy Award. Lee Lam Lam said that she did not get to accept the award in person because she did not feel well at the time. She did not want to be an added burden for everyone to take care of her. Returning to film this time, she described herself as "an old bottle opened anew". She was motivated because the genre felt made her innovative and encouraged. The film was able to bring up some questions for the audience to examine, then look for resolutions. She also said that after the shoot she fell for Au Ka Man and constantly thought of her. She said that Au Ka Man was a silly girl; when they got to the last scene she could not stop crying, which gave her quite a heartache. Would her acting bug act up again? She said that she did not dare to 100% confirm whether she would make another movie or not, as it would depend on the script, the director and the sincerity. "ALL's team made me very focused, and sensed an enormous passion." Speaking of her son John Chiang Jr. (Chiang Cheuk Man) wanting to work with her, could she perform as a family of three with husband John Chiang Dai Wai? Lee Lam Lam said, "Good suggestion, let's see the boss, the producers would consider it after hearing that."

Speaking of her late friend Lee Ying passing soon after suffering a fall, her funeral has just taken place in Vancouver. Lee Lam Lam said that they would see each other once in awhile and constantly texted each other. "I can't accept what happened. Her health was always great and she was optimistic, but this time was a gentle remind for people in our age to learn to take care of ourselves and be careful. Her passing actually could be joyous, as she no longer had to suffer from pain and illness. Of course it would be hard for her family to accept, because it was very sudden. Even friends like us couldn't accept it, feeling, 'stop messing around'; but this unhappy news was real!"

Lam Ka Yan revealed that during the Lunar New Year she finished a Taiwan film. In the middle of the year she would hold a ceramics exhibit in Taiwan. At the end of the year she would make an overseas film production. Last year she worked on Lin Shu-yu's English language film debut WORTH THE WAIT. Her first all English production felt fresh because the performance pace and format would be different. The film would be released at the end of the year on streaming platforms. She said that many people thought she has switched jobs to ceramics, but actually she has been making movies all along. They just have not been released yet.

Fruit Chan Gor was asked about his expectation of new directors. He said, "Now new directors have more opportunities, they can make documentaries, commercial films, etc. Their choices are numerous, unlike my era when mainstream movies ruled. I hope new directors' subjects would be diverse, the more the better." He joked that he considered the problem of survival, he was struggling with whether he wanted to return to mainstream movies.