[2023.03.18] LOUIS KOO NO LONGER MINDS "BARING ALL"

Despite having made over 100 films, Louis Koo still wants to continue to find new challenges

Angela Yuen becomes the envy of many girls as she works on a romantic film with Greg Hsu
courtesy of on.cc

Louis Koo has confidence in Hong Kong films, but not in the economic climate
courtesy of singtao.com

This year's Hong Kong International Film Festival Filmmaker in Focus Louis Koo and Film Festival ambassador Angela Yuen attend the press conference

PAVANE FOR AN INFANT is selected as an opening film. Ben Yuen, Natalie Hsu, Fish Liew and director Chong Keat-aun share their production experience on stage

MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD director Oliver Chan, stars Hedwig Tam and Lo Chun Yip attend the Film Festival press conference
courtesy of mingpao.com

The "49th Hong Kong International Film Festival" (HKIFF49) press conference was held yesterday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. This year's "Filmmaker in Focus" Louis Koo Tin Lok, "Film Festival Ambassador" Angela Yuen Lai Lam and Hong Kong International Film Festival Association Chairman Wilfred Wong Ying Wai kicked off the event. THE BRIGHTEST WORLD and PAVANE FOR AN INFANT were selected as the opening films at the same time.

This year's festival would be held from April 10th to 21st under the theme of "Dialogue with the Festival", featuring nearly 200 films from 69 regions and countries, including 6 world premieres, 2 international premieres and 52 Asian premieres, with more than 300 screenings. The audience would also have the chance to meet and interact with many renowned international filmmakers. In addition, the films MONTAGES OF A MODERN MOTHERHOOD (FU DUK BUT), VALLEY IN THE SHADOW OF DEATH (BUT SAT JI JUI) and the documentary NEVER TOO LATE (JUI LIU) would also be screened during the festival. Some of the actors also attended the press conference

Wong Ying Wai said that the HKIFF49 would kick off with a double shot, with the opening films including THE BRIGHTEST SUN by Japanese director Tetsuya Nakashima and PAVANE FOR AN INFANT by Malaysian director Chong Keat-aun. Directed by a Norwegian director, DREAMS (SEX LOVE) won the Golden Bear Award for Best Film at the Berlin International Film Festival and was selected as the closing film. 10 films of the "Filmmaker in Focus" Koo Tin Lok would also be screened at the festival.

Koo Tin Lok said on stage that he felt honored and happy to be a "Filmmaker in Focus", and that his most important responsibility was to promote Hong Kong films to audiences around the world. Among the 10 films screened would be NAKED AMBITION (HO CHING), DRUG WAR (DUK JIN), RETRIBUTION (YI OI), PARADOX (SAT POR LONG. TAM LONG), and WARRIORS OF FUTURE (MING YUT JIN GEI); all works that he was satisfied with from his three different stages. The "Festival Ambassador" Yuen Lai Lam said that she was both happy and nervous. The role also made her reflect on her relationship with film. In the past her love for film was purer, feeling that it was time to take on the responsibility of promoting and sharing films. When asked about his view on the film industry outlook, he said, "These three or four years would be years of change and would welcome a great correction. Filmmakers must meet the audience and make changes."

Regarding the current recession of the Hong Kong film market, Goo Jai pointed out that the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers would start making two films every year, now there would be an opportunity to cut one but he would try his best to fight for it. "Actually both films together would be over HK$ 10 million in investment, it's not a lot. However the current market is too hard to deal with. It's not too ideal! (When wo you decide to cut budget or stop production?) It's not my decision. It would depend on the market trend and change." The output of his film company would be the same as before, with an average of two or three films a year and still many works that have not yet been released. They would all depend on the market trend to determine the release time. Would any of them be big productions like TWILIGHT OF WARRIORS: WALLED IN (GAU LUNG SING JAI JI WAI SING)? "I don't know yet, let's see if the scripts would make it in time." He was also happy that TWILIGHT received Best Editing and Best Production Design at this year's Asian Film Awards, because this was an international award. He revealed that TWILIGHT was still in release in Japan, the cumulative box office has exceeded 300 million yen. He would very gladly promote in Japan again. Some said that Japan's barbecue pork rice was also sold out because of the film? Goo Jai felt that promoting Hong Kong culture through film was a good thing.

Speaking of Sean Lau Ching Wan's confidence in Hong Kong films at the Asian Film Awards Ceremony the night before, Goo Jai joked, "I have confidence in Hong Kong films too, but I am not confident in the economy! Because the box office of this year's Lunar New Year releases has never been so low. (Disappointed?) I don't get to say disappointed or not, the market needs time to recover. Right now it's 'moving', getting to move is better than not getting to move. The pandemic was the worst, everything came to a stop." He believed that many factors would be needed for the recovery of the film market. In addition to new changes in films, there could be more different direction films and the economic environment must also be considered. What else could the government help with? Goo Jai said, "They have a lot of things to deal with first."

He has performed in 100 movies, and the president of the Performing Artist Guild and the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers. Has he helped many filmmakers? Goo Jai said, "It wasn't helping. As a part of the industry, everyone would work hard to make film its best. My deepest impression is during the pandemic, film came to a complete halt but everyone still had to live. So we made a movie to raise fund and give away money for the industry to get over the hard time." What other roles or types of films he would want to try? Koo Tin Lok admitted that he has even made the genre he wanted to make the most, science fiction. However there would still be many more, even challenge a fully nude performance. He said, "I was once asked if I could perform fully naked. I wasn't able to before, but now I think this generation has become less concerned with that. However fully naked would be rated category III, I am afraid the children wouldn't be able to see that!"

As a new actor Yuen Lai Lam said that if she could bring out the expression of art, she would not mind showing her body. However she has not have these opportunities for the time being, so she would not think much about it. She also expressed her gratitude that since she entered the industry, she kept having works for the audience. She and Taiwan male god Greg Hsu starred in the romantic film released a new post. Greg Hsu's line, "If you don't come over, I will fly there to find you!" struck fans straight in their hearts. The film has been confirmed for an autumn release this year. "Movies I performed in earlier would gradually released, currently some are in negotiation, from both Hong Kong and Taiwan."

PAVANE FOR AN INFANT actors Fish Liew Chi Yu, Natalie Hsu (Hui Yan Yi) and Ben Yuen Fu Wah shared their production experience. Liew Chi Yu revealed that the film was about the abandoned infant issues in Malaysia. She played an abandoned infant center volunteer. Although she was Malaysian, she has not spoken Malay for a very long time and needed more practice. Hui Yan Yi as an unwed Mama and Yuen Fu Wah as the villain had to learn Malay before e production, luckily the staff has prepared recordings of their lines for them.