[2026.04.14] PHILIP YUNG CONTINUES TO SELF FINANCE PRODUCTIONS TO SUPPORT HONG KONG FILM

The Philip Yung directed THE SNOWBALL ON A SUNNY DAY has collected over HK$ 16 million. He admits that breaking even would be difficult and jokes that the loss would be deep in the flesh

NIGHT KING exceeds HK$ 100 million and recently releases the category III extended version director's cut

Larine Tang in CYCLONE plays a drug addicted sex worker
courtesy of mingpao.com

The Philip Yung Tsz Kwong written and directed film CYCLONE (CHIU FUNG) became the closing film of the "50th Hong Kong International Film Festival", and held its Asian premiere at the Cultural Center on the evening of the 12th. The film's actors Liu Yuqiao, Edwynn Li Yuxuan, Larine Tang Yueping, etc. attended and shared their production experience. He said that the new film would focus on the discrimination transgender people faced and the experience of sex workers and their clientele. He hoped that the film would bring the attention of the general public to this social topic. The actors described CYCLONE as a domestic Hong Kong films that realistically depicts of the lower class life.

Yung Tsz Kwong revealed that CYCLONE received a funding of HK$ 1 million from the International Film Festival financing scheme, and he also put several hundred thousands into the production. He emphasized that his original intention was not to make money, but only to make works with Hong Kong characteristics. Referring to THE SNOWBALL ON A SUNNY DAY (GUM DOR BO), the Lunar New Year film he directed and invested in has collected more than 16 million so far at box office. He once said that the film would have to reach 30 million to recoup the capital. He admitted that he has already expected to lose money. "It still has not been released in many areas, but a loss is expected."

Regarding the recent box office of many movies exceeding 100 million, Yung Tsz Kwong believed that although some movies have high box office, some theaters have closed in the past few years so they should think of ways to improve the movie business. He also noticed that the recently well-received WE'RE NOTHING AT ALL (NGOR MOON BUT SI SUP MOR) and CIAO, UFO (JOI GEIN UFO) would have grossed at least $20 million at the box office if released two years earlier. He also said that he would continue to make low-budget films in the future, and joked that he would leave the large scale format or more commercial films to Ho Cheuk Tin. He also believed that Hong Kong needs different subject and budget productions for the film industry to have a healthy development.

Speaking of the Lunar New Year film NIGHT KING exceeding 100 million at the box office, Yung Tsz Kwong praised NIGHT KING as a good movie. Dayo Wong Tze Wah is currently the most popular actor in Hong Kong, bringing joy and resonance of Hong Kong to the audience. When asked if he would invite Tsz Yung to collaborate and help him recover his capital, he said he would not dare. "Everyone is scrambling to find Tsz Wah, how could it be my turn?" He pointed out that Tsz Wah's works in recent years have not fully demonstrated his strength, and he would look forward to bringing better works in the future. He believed that Tsz Wah would be able to play a role with complex thinking since he studied philosophy. Yung Tsz Kwong joked that WE'RE NOTHING AT ALL's director Herman Yau Lai To was a philosophical director with very complex thinking, so he believed that Yau Lai To and Wong Tze Wah would probably have a lot to talk about.

Yung Tsz Kwong also praised Hong Kong's new actors for their good performances. In addition to Anson Kong Yip Sun (AK), there is also Tang Yueping. She had cameo appearances in Yung Tsz Kwong directed PORT OF CALL (DAP HUET CHUM MUI) and THE SPARRING PARTNER (JING YI WU LONG), this time she played a sex worker with a drug addiction in CYCLONE. Yung Tsz Kwong said that Tang Yueping had an idol appearance but actually was very down to earth, and joked that her appearance has hindered her acting skills. Yung Tsz Kwong said that he was satisfied with her performance and looked forward to collaborating again in the future.

Tang Yueping challenged the role of an addict for the first time and could not forget her convincing appearance during filming. She revealed that a convenience store clerk mistook her for shoplifting at the store. "In order to have the feeling of confusion, I went to buy alcohol at the convenience store during the shoot. Because my appearance was covered with sores and tattoos and with my condition at the time, the clerk thought that I wanted to steal and asked to search my bag on the spot. The appearance was thus proven to be very convincing."