[2023.11.11] DEREK YEE WORRIES THAT HONG KONG FILMS WILL CONTINUE TO SHRINK

Derek Yee praises director Lawrence Kan for putting his heart into making IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, the result of which is even better than on the script and is a work of quality.

The film IN BROAD DAYLIGHT is based on real nursing home residents abuse cases 

Jennifer Yu with IN BROAD DAYLIGHT is nominated for the Golden Horse Awards Best Actress 

Derek Yee says that the new generation of filmmakers would have to face many difficulties
courtesy of mingpao.com

The new director Lawrence Kan Kwan Chun written and directed film IN BROAD DAYLIGHT (BAK YUT JI HA) was based on the 2015 nursing home residents abuse case, hoping through the film the society would be called to think and prevent the tragedy from happening again. Kan Kwan Chun hoped to bring change to society, and those who did wrong to justice. As the film's producer Derek Yee Tung Sing (Siu Bo) lamented that nowadays finding an investor would be difficult, citing that Hong Kong film development was facing problems both externally and internally. He worried that if the two major problems of the lack of financing and market expansion, Hong Kong films in the future would only continue to shrink!

Kan Kwan Chun because of seeing the news of the handicapped being abused was determined to make this the subject. Through news workers' collected research, and the introduction of friends he invited Siu Bo to be the producer. He said, "When Siu Bo saw the script, he was reminded of making THE LUNATICS (DIN LO JING JUEN) 30 years ago. He felt that these stories should be told, perhaps they would make the world change a little. I feel a sense of justice exists in the bottom of his heart."

Siu Bo said that finding financing was the most difficult for a film production, for example IN BROAD DAYLIGHT took 5 years to prepared. Like when he made ONE NITE IN MONGKOK (WONG GOK HAK YEH), film company bosses were not too confident in the film subject. Only when he approached the fifth company was he able to someone willing to invest, it was Louis Koo Tin Lok (Goo Jai)'s company. He joked, "We now always joke, making movies don't rely on the story. The most important is to have Goo Jai. We would cherish Goo Jai, tell him not to be too impulsive. When he makes one movie he has to take two commercials, but his salary is high. He probably can just make one commercial to have enough for a movie."

Kan Kwan Chun recalled, at first after Goo Jai red the script he already said that he had to make the movie and would provide the best resources. He even helped with making connections during casting, and brought Bowie Lam Bo Yi who turned down the role due to work scheduling conflict back to the team. "I really was surprised, and thought I was dreaming!" He felt that he lacked experience. The first film he directed in 2013

Even if the film might not necessarily be able to change the world, Siu Bo felt that it still needed to keep working on it. As long as it would be able to get people's attention or even bring revelation, it would be a good thing. It was also able to strongly support the Hong Kong film industry's talent shortage. They were full of passion, but they worried the most about not having producers. "I hope to have some more producers with sharp eyes to appear, expanding the market would require financing and sales. If funding is not enough, the market would be unable to expand and the industry would keep shrinking."

Siu Bo revealed that 2025 would be the 50th anniversary of his start in the business. Seeing the film industry highs and lows, he understood the numerous difficulties that the new generation would face. "I of course hope the market would be a little better next year, but inside I am still not too optimistic. This year the situation is still considered good, I know that over 40 Hong Kong films should be starting production. If next year no movie would be made, no one would buy films, perhaps productions would be even more difficult." He looked back at the film industry golden age, Hong Kong film exports were popular. At the time Korea and many places' production rates were still very low. Since the digital age, the bar has been lowered. The global film production growth followed, the competition has been enormous. "In recent years almost 10,000 films goes to Cannes to be sold!"

Siu Bo in recent years realized that he was getting old, his physically abilities has already been reduced. Thus he would choose what he likes to direct, but from being a producer he still got quite a sense of satisfaction. He was glad to use his own experience to help the new generation to fulfill their dreams. He also advised young people to give up their stubbornness and never give up any production opportunity. "After I became the Hong Kong Film Awards Association president, I have met many young directors. I told them all to shoot when you get to shoot, even when the script they get isn't good they should try to properly finish the work. Even working on television and music video are still types of training. For example Kan Kwan Chun accumulated the experience of making the series IN GEEK WE TRUST, when he made IN BROAD DAYLIGHT the result was better than the script. It is a work of quality."

Speaking of young directors and actors should be proud of themselves in the poor market as they helped each other. Siu Bo felt that was invaluable. "My era before wasn't like this, because Shaw and Golden Harvest were rivals directors were all in competition. Then the Film Directors' Guild was founded to protect the directors' rights, and everyone finally gradually became friends."