[2022.08.23] MABEL CHEUNG PLANS TO COMPLETE ALEX LAW'S UNFINISHED FILM

courtesy of on.cc

courtesy of mingpao.com

The Mabel Cheung Yuen Ting directed, the late director Alex Law Kai Yui served as production consultant on the documentary TO MY NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD SELF two nights ago held its premiere. Director Ann Hui On Wa also showed her support. Cheung Yuen Ting and the 5 interviewed students in the film shared their production experience. She revealed that this time her alma mater invited her to make the film, because of school relocation it planned to document the stories of the students' growth. Planned for a 6 year production time, in the end due to the school relocation postponement it took 10 years to shoot. Just lost her beloved, she admitted that during the production she thought about whether it would not be finished. Because life was unexpected, no one would know what would happen tomorrow. However since she was still alive after 10 years in production she might as well finish it.

Cheung Yuen Ting said that the biggest difference between a documentary and a feature film was the she could be in control of all the characters in a feature film, but for a documentary she would have to let go of her role. The director would only be a supporting player. The interviewees would be the directors of their lives. "I would be the listener. If you treat them a little better, they would be willing to tell you more. They have yelled at me too, because I didn't get their permission. So I have to learn to be humble. From the interviewees I learned a lot, and I would also examine my own process of growing up." Would she be afraid of making documentaries from now on? Cheung Yuen Ting said, "Life doesn't have too many decades, so it can't be repeated again. In addition it involved the school and students' privacy. Thank you to the school for being forward and having the courage to let me shoot. I can say there has been no precedence. Despite numerous challenges, I have no regret."

As for the documentary being the final collaboration with the late Alex Law Kai Yui, Cheung Yuen Ting revealed that they still had projects that have yet to start production. She said, "Actually he told me not to make the documentary because it had no story. However after editing the film he gave me his suggestions. As long as I insisted, he in the end would help out." Losing her beloved, Cheung Yuen Ting said that everyday she was busy at work. "Not having time to think is a good thing too. If I sit down and think I would be sad." She said that Law Kai Yui had a new film SUP GOR HOK YI DIK SIU NIN (TEN MEDICAL STUDENTS) that remained unfinished. She would work hard to complete it.