# Mabel Cheung

Mabel Cheung (Chinese: 張婉婷, born 17 November 1950) is a film director from Hong Kong. She is one of the leading directors in Hong Kong cinema and is considered one of the three women (along with Ann Hui and Clara Law) to achieve acclaim in the New Wave/Second Wave in Hong Kong. Cheung made her first film in 1985 as a student at New York University. Cheung is known for working with the migration issues of Hongkongers and overseas Chinese, especially before the 1997 handover of Hong Kong.
Her films include the "migration trilogy": The Illegal Immigrant (1985), An Autumn's Tale (1987) and Eight Taels of Gold (1989). The Soong Sisters (1997) marks another peak of her filming career. All four films were made in collaboration with writer Alex Law.
Cheung is a Guest Lecturer at the Hong Kong Baptist University Academy of Film and an Honorary University Fellow at the University of Hong Kong.
Cheung is the Vice-Chairperson of the Hong Kong Film Development Council.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2022 | To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self [zh] | |
| 2017 | The Chinese Widow US Title called In Harm's Way (2017 film) | Writer |
| 2015 | A Tale of Three Cities 三城記 | |
| 2010 | Echoes of the Rainbow 歲月神偷 | |
| 2003 | Traces of a Dragon: Jackie Chan & His Lost Family 龍的深處-失落的拼圖 | Nominated - Golden Horse Awards for Best Documentary |
| 2001 | Beijing Rocks 北京樂與路 | |
| 1998 | City of Glass 玻璃之城 | Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Screenplay |
| 1997 | The Soong Sisters 宋家皇朝 | Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director |
| 1992 | Now You See Love, Now You Don't 我愛扭紋柴 | |
| 1991 | The Banquet 豪門夜宴 | |
| 1991 | Twin Dragons 雙龍會 | |
| 1989 | Eight Taels of Gold 八兩金 | Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Screenplay |
| 1988 | Painted Faces 七小福 | Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Screenplay |
| 1987 | An Autumn's Tale 秋天的童話 | Hong Kong Film Award for Best Film Nominated - Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director |
| 1985 | The Illegal Immigrant 非法移民 | Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director Special Jury Award (Asia-Pacific Film Festival) |

## The To My Nineteen-Year-Old-Self Controversies

In January 2023, three graduates of Ying Wa Girls' School accused Cheung and the school authority of wrongdoing through the public distribution of To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self, the film commissioned by Cheung's alma mater Ying Wa Girls' School for an alumni fundraising project. Three of the six subjects of the film accused Ying Wa and Cheung of placing what was originally promised as an internal project on public screens without their consents. Katie Kong, one of the documentary’s subjects, said in an Instagram story that she had signed the consent after the film crew told her “everyone else” had done so.
In the documentary, Cheung's camera follows six schoolgirls for over a decade to witness the agony and ecstasy of growing up during a turbulent time in Hong Kong.
Wai-sze Sarah Lee, Hong Kong professional track cyclist and bronze medalist in the women's keirin at the 2012 London Olympics, also accused Cheung and the crew of including an interview clip with her in the film without consent. In a radio interview Cheung admitted that she and the crew entered the venue of Asian Track Cycling Championships in Japan without a valid press permit. This raised the concern from the Hong Kong Sport Press Association of unauthorised interview events for non-press purposes.
Cheung apologized and announced on 5 February the screenings of To My Nineteen Year Old Self will be suspended until all issues are clarified.