25th ifva Awards Open Category Jury Meeting Transcript
Jury Members ：Mary Wong (Wong), Ruby Yang (Yang), Ernest Chan Chi-wa (Chan),Eric Poon (Poon), Kwan Pun-leung (Kwan)
Organizer representative： Kattie Fan (Fan), Samantha Szeto (Szeto), Wong Ming Lok (Lok)___________________________________________________________________________
Fan:

This year, ifva received over 2000 works, of which the Open Category received morethan one hundred. We went through pre-selection and the first-round jury meeting,and today is the award selection meeting. First round jury members include Eric
Poon, Ernest Chan and Mary Wong, who selected the 10 finalists from more than 50
works1. Today’s mission is to select the Gold, Silver and Special Mention from the
10 finalists. Let’s hear your opinions and criticisms of each of the works before
discussing the awards.

Yang:

I have a question. Must there be only one Gold Award? Can there be more than one?

Fan:

In principle, we encourage jury members to award one Gold, one Silver and one
Special Mention, but in the past, we have had two Silvers and no Gold. The
organizers respect the jury’s decision. Eric Poon has a declaration of conflict ofinterest.

Poon:

Among the 10 finalists, the directors of ephwaipi are my students, I am theirsupervising instructor.

Fan:

If you don’t have any further questions, let’s discuss the first work, Comrades.

Chan:

Comrades captures real-time conflicts within a close distance. The work is
exceptionally skilful in terms of its uncluttered editing and lively-paced rhythm. It
might be because of the fact that I have just watched Inside the Red Brick Wall at
HKindieFF, I find the problems of Comrades particularly obvious. However, I still
appreciate the fact that it has promptly recorded certain aspects of the movement.

Poon:

I agree with Ernest Chan that after watching Inside the Red Brick Wall, Comrades
must be planned as part of a larger project. Of course, when they started filming,
they may not have considered making a large-scale production but were only
responding to the current social movements, and edited what the materials they hadon hand as they went on shooting. This is mentioned in the director’s statement.
They were able to capture a lot of footage within a short period of time, and display
attention to detail and familiarity with those on the frontlines.

Wong:

I feel that when they were making Comrades, they had not anticipated how things
would evolve. Their creative decisions, from concept to filming and editing are well1This year, the Open Category received a total of 164 works, from which the pre-selection jury members
selected 50 works and then the first round jury members picked the 10 finalist works.
1considered, and this kind of film can be seen as an interaction with social events. I
feel we ought to encourage documentaries like Comrades.
Yang:

The creators must understand the movement very well. The editing is very good andthe filmmakers are familiar with the relationships between the participants so as tobe able to edit a 14-minute work so quickly. Of the 10 finalists, this is the only
documentary.

Poon:

The good thing about Comrades is that its political stance is clear from the start, andthe filmmakers are able to coolly observe the tensions on the frontline and reveal
them without reservation. This shows that the filmmakers must have thought aboutcertain issues and were involved with the situation during production, but at the sametime are able to remain a detached documentarian, which is a rare achievement.

Yang:

I agree. The filmmaker is like an observer to the events, particularly in the ending
scene with the people leaving on the MTR and going back to the beginning, which
is a smart way of handling it.

Kwan:

I agree with you. Although I am not very clear about the background of this work orother related films, the theme of Comrades is very relevant to this movement andreflects its purpose. Even though they only shot for one night, the filmmakeraccurately captures this theme. I also admire their detachment. Even when they wereamong the protestors, they still calmly continued shooting by raising up the camera.
Some shots are very up close, then there are some wide shots that reveal the relative
positions of the police and the protesters. With so many things happening at the sametime, this is no easy task. The main theme echoes from beginning to end, as in thescene with “one, two, one, two", street lights, etc., which capture the total
atmosphere.

Chan:

I admire this film very much, because shooting must have been really difficult, no
one knew on the scene what would happen next. The editing is very good, allowing
the audience to understand clearly what is happening. I appreciate that the filmmakeris able to capture people’s detailed expressions within a chaotic situation.

Poon:

One thing they should think about is how to integrate Comrades within the wholesocial movement. The audience for this film is Hong Kong people, who have noproblem understanding the context, but overseas audiences who do not know thecontext will have difficulty understanding the protest. This is part of narrativetechnique, and they may have to explain things in greater detail at the beginning or
the end.

Chan:

This may affect the structure of the film. When watching the film, I wondered how
to let audiences who are not familiar with this social movement to enter the film’s
world as quickly as possible? If they added exposition or interviews, the structure of
the entire film will be different, so this may not be something a short film can achieve,
and the creative team needs to consider this.

Poon:

I understand.
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Kwan:

I quite agree with Eric Poon. Most of us know about the social movement, andunderstand that what happened on that day did not lead to greater conflict later, andthat’s why our feelings were strong when we watched it. The subtitles at the end says
rioting carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. If an outsider
unfamiliar with the situation watched this film, they may not easily understand thesituation and the meaning behind it, while we who are in its midst get more meaningout of it.

Wong:

If you have ever seen other works shot by this creative team, you’d realize they havean obvious structure, which is focused on particular events. As the movement is stillin progress, they choose to present events within it. I agree that if foreign audienceswere watching this film, they may not be able to understand the entire movement
immediately. In the future, this team may combine several works together into alonger work, allowing people to see the face of the whole movement. I appreciate
what they have presented here.

Poon:

I agree that they may be able to integrate other works into a longer film in the future,
which may be one of the ways to go about it. But as a short film, I understand that I
am being strict, but I refer to the titles at the beginning and end of the film. I
understand that this is a big issue that is hard to explain with a few words, and themethod they have chosen does solve the problem, but I wonder if there is a betterway? I believe this is an issue worth considering by the filmmaker.

Yang:

They can give a little more explanation in the director’s statement. This topic isdifficult to express clearly in a few words. But as a ten-minute work, we should let
it speak for itself. If the audience wants to learn more about the topic, they can dotheir own research.

Chan:

I understand that they didn’t make the film for participating in competitions but
because they want to respond to social events in a time of great social turmoil. They
have chosen to shoot, edit and broadcast as events unfolded, and what we are
criticizing now may not be their original intent.

Poon:

The title of Comrades is one of the themes of the whole movement and expresses
the meaning behind it, and the fact that some participants may face ten years of
imprisonment. This may be one of the ways we can interpretation this film.

Yang:

The value of this short film is that it captures what happened that day.

Fan:

The next work is Paupera.

Yang:

The shooting style of this work is more conventional and some of the actor’s
performances are lacking. The creative intent is very good, although the storytellingis plain. The director has a keen eye for observation but her skills are not so practiced.

Chan:

Overall, everyone's comments are quite consistent, in that we all agree that thecharacter of the principal is weak, and because the focus of the film is the school,3this is a major flaw. The portrayal of new immigrants and taxi drivers is quite good
because the director has an in-depth observation of this social class, which allows
for a proper presentation of these two characters. The part about the school is clichéd,which is a pity.
Wong:

The actors who play the new immigrants and drivers are very good. Because thestory is focused on the school, this aspect is a big flaw relative to the other parts.

Kwan:

I appreciate that the film presents a multi-faceted view of society and the difficulties
and loneliness of different people in society. The characters come from four families,
and the story starts and ends at the same point, which gives it a complete structure.
I appreciate the film’s ambition. What do the many blank spots at the school
represent? They leave room for the audience’s imagination, but what do they
represent? The individual narrations only make sense towards the end, but this point
is not made very clear.

Poon:

The film relies on domestic violence as a common thread running through the wholestory, but the stories don’t really link up. Domestic violence doesn’t tie the threestorylines together, so that the film appears lose and the ending does not express thetheme in a sufficiently powerful way. The director should have used the script orcinematography to help express the main theme. The radio is relegated to thebackground rather than being highlighted.

Fan:

The next work is Old Man And A Dog.

Kwan:

I watched the film twice, and noticed some more details. This is a challenging
production. Everyone who makes films knows that it is very difficult to shootchildren and animals, and the subject of old people is considered dull, but this work
combines these elements. I enjoyed the treatment in many scenes. For example, theold man and the dog die, and it seems that the soul of the dog comes back toaccompany the old man on his final journey. I also noticed that the two doctors areplayed by the same actor, which is very interesting. This looks like a realistic dramaon the surface, but there are many non-realistic symbolisms. The veterinarian faces
death with a positive attitude and brings them comfort, while the doctors takes anegative attitude in the face of the old man’s impending death from cancer. Similarly,
the appearance of the dog gives the old man some warmth during his last days, which
is a deliberate metaphor.

Chan:

I agree with Kwan’s observations. This is not just a realist drama about an old man,and many elements are deliberately arranged, like the dog returning when the oldman dies. The actors playing the mother and the child can be better, but fortunately
the film is driven by the male lead and his naturalistic performance helps a lot.

Yang:

I totally agree. The performance of the male lead is to the point.

Wong:

Among the finalist narrative films, I favor this one. I agree with you in that the film
is not too melodramatic nor intentionally plain, and the director reflects on the plightof old people. He does not gloss over these problems, but is able to grasp their bitter4

conditions. The casting is appropriate and the lines on the actor’s face adequately
displays his harsh life.
Poon:

I agree, the acting, appearance, character design and dialogue are strong andconvincing. The casting is excellent.

Fan:

The next work is Spawning Migration.

Chan:

I was quite disturbed when watching this short film. At the beginning, the audience's
emotions are agitated, and as the film progresses, you realize the director is using an
institution as a metaphor. By the end of the film, the man and woman have to flee toa dreamy place. The final shot uses a wider aspect ratio, which is in contrast with thetight close-ups and tight aspect ratio used in the earlier part of the film up to thatpoint, revealing a surreal environment, and the metaphor of the whole film issuddenly made clear. I admire the performance of the actors; since the mood of theentire film is tense, and their performance has to be maintained at a high state of
tension.

Wong:

This work is very challenging. The director sets up a confined space from which thecharacters must use their imagination to break out. The protagonist has to go throughthat road at night and figure out how to break through. The whole film is surreal.
The director uses this environment to express the dire conditions of disabled people
living in this situation. Under such circumstances, they want to create different
possibilities for themselves. It is very important that they are able to escape in theend, and leaving this place represent is radical break.

Yang:

Everyone in the film has no freedom. From the first scene, the protagonists are alltrapped yet their imagination is free. The performances of the male and female leads
are very good, and the male lead is especially powerful. He sacrifices everything in
the end to protect his imagined "freedom". At the end of the film they come to theseaside, which is completely different from the beginning of the film. This
arrangement is very good.

Poon:

This work is challenging to watch, for it backs the audience into a corner. This is mysecond time watching, and it was equally hard going. I think this toughness wasintended by the director. Its ending is very impressive; it is not a relief for me but iseven more depressing.

Kwan:

This film is very explosive. The story is takes place in a mental institution. All thedesign, including sets, lighting, art direction, etc. are very extreme. These are thefilm’s main strength. I appreciate that the director combines all these elements withsuch gusto, but at the same time the effect is unnerving. When watching this film, I
was attracted by the above elements and neglected the message of the film. It is easy
to become too emotionally involved, which is its strength as well as a flaw.

Yang:

The director uses camerawork to create a sense of oppression and pushes images tothe extreme. Instead of feeling relieved at the end, we feel even more sad.

5

Poon:He leads the audience into a very cruel world. This provides a very special viewing
experience. As a viewer, I wonder what would happen when we enter this world?
How can you escape?

Fan:

The next work is Ladles.

Poon:

This is a totally different viewing experience, completely opposite to the previous
work.

Yang:

I appreciate this work because it leaves room for imagination and allows me to enter
this serene world. This kind of film is rare these days, and with regards to therelationship between the two protagonists, you can let your imagination fill in the
gaps.

Poon:

The director created a world that the audience can experience directly.

Wong:

As Ruby Yang said, the film gives the audience unlimited room for imagination.
Lines play an important role in the film, reminding us of the relationship between
nature and life, and the use of color, image and structure in it all take you into aseemingly "unfamiliar" world and let the audience reflect on what our urban life has
become. What does it mean to return to basics? All the images are very beautiful andmeaningful. The director makes use of technology to create an experimental andpoetic work.

Chan:

It is regrettable thing is that the five jury members cannot watch this work in thetheater2. This film would have been very beautiful on the big screen, particularly thescene on the beach, which is like an ink painting. The director is good at using color,
composition and cinematography. The top shot of the beach shows people walking
about, which is very poetic. However, the scenes after the beach, such as themountains and caves. The interesting thing about the film is that it can be interpreted
in different ways by the audience, but when I read the director’s statement, it seems
that what he wants to achieve is very simple and not as complex and poetic as I had
assumed. Is the film a bit too mystifying?

Yang:

I don’t understand the closing dialogue. It should be a bit more profound. The film
seems too long and the director did not handle this aspect well.

Wong:

The director is good at dealing with images, and the dialogue or text pale incomparison. However, it’s good that he is able to use images to express nature anda certain way of life.

Kwan:

I quite agree with Ernest Chan’s view that the film falls short in the latter half, andthe best part of the film is the opening scenes. When it got to the cave and the woods,
the film falters. The use of drone shots is well done and the camera is able to keep
pace with the old man and the child. He makes good use of the latest technologies,
which he combines with cinematography to give audiences a new visual experience.

2

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, Open Category jury meeting of the 25th ifva was done via videoconference.
6

Fan:

The next work is ephwaipi, which Eric Poon has made a declaration about.

Chan:

This work is divided into segments, which is very interesting. This type of narrativetechnique is unexpected. I admire this kind of creative effort and that they don’t care
whether the audience understands. Only directors at a certain stage of their careers
do this. The overall feeling of this film is youthful and carefree. The directors appear
in front of the camera to discuss and reflect, which is something only people theirage would do.

Yang:

This film represents a very youthful and unrestrained kind of presentation, and thecreators are not shy about expressing themselves this way. The art direction is very
good, and even though their technique is not very mature, the filmmakers have great
potential. Only young filmmakers would use this kind of technique.

Wong:

I didn't care for this work very much during the first round, but the fact that the film
begins in French feels fresh and left an impression. It is obvious that the film is
women-centered, and explores the role of women in society and in the creative realm.
At the same time, the work references a large number of advertisements. On the one
hand, the filmmakers want to be unconventional, yet have no choice but to rely on
images from advertising, which is contradictory.

Kwan:

My views are similar, this film is very complex, containing many different genres.
The directors want to go beyond certain narrative methods but makes use of very
stylized images. Some parts are very straightforward, others are very precisely
designed in which both the composition and dialogue are very accurate. Putting thetwo seemingly contradictory styles together is what makes the work interesting. This
technique may reflect the conflicts of growing up for the younger generation or thecontradiction between them and the society. This is their rebellion. It is their strengththat they can do whatever they please, but how to judge the results depends on how
we set the standards. If we favor a single, unified theme in films, this is something
they lack.

Fan:

The next work is Ward 11.

Chan:

This is one of my favorite documentaries among the finalists. It is not just a
documentary, but also includes the choreography of the two protagonists, so it is nota typical documentary based on interviews. The director also added a lot of aesthetic
elements such as the use of atmospheric shots to augment the dancing sequences.
With the addition of the theme of death, this is a very mature work.

Yang:

I agree. The director portrays the relationship between the two protagonists, using
atmospheric shots and dancing to express their views on life and art, and the use ofcolor is very good. I appreciate its whole artistic direction and expression.

Poon:

This is a very well-rounded and skillful documentary. In my mind, this is the best
work out of the 10 finalists. Dance cannot be expressed as plainly as words, it needs
to be conveyed with feelings. Having learnt about the relationship between the two
7

protagonists, I was most moved by the dance. In the first round, there were otherdance video works as well, but the jury members all agreed that this one must be
shortlisted as a finalist.
Wong:

This work is poetic, and when the director shoots the interaction between the two, itfeels like they are truly integrated. The two protagonists are not just partners in dance
but also in life. The work also captures their views on society. This is a very
emotionally expressive work.

Kwan:

The director’s skills are very good, and the work is very poetic. Through this work,
the boundary between dance and life is erased, for the two are one and the same forboth people. The boundary between dance video and documentary is also removed,
and the protagonists’ attitude on life are expressed through their lives. The film has
no conventional structure or a message to convey. The director spends most of her
effort on composition and images, but I would like to see more spiritual expressions
and the director’s own thoughts. Compared with other works such as Old Man And
A Dog, which allows me to understand the director on a spiritual level, this work
relies mostly on images, and I can't feel enough message to support the brilliant
visuals.

Yang:

Probably because dancing takes precedent, the spiritual expression is relatively
weaker, and the voice-over fails to lift the work up to a higher level, so I agree withyou about the lack of a spiritual dimension to this film.

Fan:

The next work is 3 Generations 3 Days.

Poon:

The actors are very good and the story is smooth. The ending shot is especiallymemorable. Overall, this is a very high-quality work.

Wong:

The cinematography and lighting all convey the relationship between the three
generations. The biggest idea I got from this story is that the youngest woman is themost repressed; the granny can scold people while the mother can groan. The
youngest woman is oppressed by the previous two generations; the granny is very
traditional and favor the grandson, so the young woman finds herself shackled bytradition. Yet she does not struggle or try to free herself, and faces opposition when
she wants to go on working holiday. The script presents these elements, both thegood and the bad, as part of her destiny. Yet the character of the young woman is
not very well-rounded so that after watching the film, even though I feel it is wellmade, the humanistic spirit could have been amplified.

Yang:

The granny’s performance is very good. I agree that the depiction of the young
woman is not sufficient for us to understand the whole character, and we don’t knowwhether she is an observer or a participant. In fact, people of the younger generation
can control their fate the most, but she seems unable to. So, I find the script a bit
lacking in this regard, but the filming and execution are very good.

Chan:

I don’t know if the director intended this, but if the young woman is more proactive
or rebellious, the story would be different. The director sets up a patriarchal
8

background and mentions in the dialogue that women of all generations face thesame issues. The youngest generation not only has to confront gender issues, butalso age differences. She finds that even though they are all women, she cannot
communicate with the previous generation or they do not understand her, and she isleft in a vulnerable position. I think the director deliberately arranged this story about
women from three generations from the point of view of the most vulnerable one.
It’s true that we don’t know much about her inner thoughts, this may be a deliberate
design of the screenplay.
Kwan:

The characters are well-written and the dialogue is life-like; dealing with trivial
things in the characters’ daily lives, the dialogue feels natural. This is a seemingly
ordinary story about three generations of women, and in the end, they have to leave
each other. The whole story is very memorable and impressive. The mise-en-scene
is appropriate and the story structure expresses the character's condition well, likethe kitchen and stairway scenes in which two characters are framed. This is thecinematographic style of the film, and I appreciate its fresh imagery. However, there
is something I don’t understand. In one or two scenes, the dialogue overlaps or theambient noise is very loud, is that deliberate or is there some problem with the soundrecording? I am not quite sure.

Chan:

The scenes and composition are outstanding throughout the film. The kitchen is very
narrow and the composition is divided into many frames, showing that the characteris trapped, highlighting the character's trapped state, which is quite outstanding.

Yang:

The overlapping sounds in the nursing home reflects the environment., and shows
various things happening outside the main story, which I think is good. At the end
there are trains and different ambient sounds, reflecting real-life situations, so I
believe this reflects the director’s intention.

Fan:

The next work is Endless Chain of Lies.

Chan:

This film reminds me of Chungking Express, probably due to the Central Escalator!
The dialogues and reactions of the characters are very interesting and a bit likecomics; the acting is not life-like. The director has a unique world view, and thecolor, music, background and rhythm all reflect how the director views the city, therelationship between people, etc., and shows a special sensibility. I really like fadeout on the two characters at the end and the cinematography of the seaside scene isbeautiful.

Yang:

The film is very much like Wong Kar Wai’s films, and I am immediately remindedof Chungking Express. The director’s technique, colors, etc. are youthful and shows
the director’s careful arrangement.

Wong:This work has a long-lost Hong Kong urban feeling, depicting the loneliness of thecity, Central at night, random encounters, etc. It’s a long-lost feeling of Hong Kongcinema. The ending at the seaside is special, so that in addition to the urban scenes,
we see another side of the city. It is good for a short film to present this kind of
feeling, and the handling of color is good.
9

Poon:

This is a youth movie, and is very enjoyable to watch. The scenery and the dialogue
between the two characters reflect what young people have to face and theirmindset... The laundromat is a very interesting setting. In the past, Hong Kongers
did not need laundromats and only recently have they become popular. Why the
emergence of laundromats? Some people cite the cramped living conditions of HongKong. I think this is a meaningful setting, because as young people move out on theirown, the places they live may not even have room for washing machines.
Laundromats are very popular in foreign countries, and putting them in the context
of Hong Kong provides a fresh experience. The director or screenwriter tries to tella story about young people and accurately capture the young people’s mindsets andhow they confront society, the environment, their slash lives in which they handle
many things at the same time, working at the lowest level in the cultural industry inwhich anyone can change the character design of the female lead... The director isvery good at putting different elements into the work, using a satirical rather thancomplaining tone, which is very interesting.

Kwan:

Both the actor's interpretation and the director's technique are very "cool". I was alittle resistant during the first quarter, but I could see that her method and technique
are skilled and the script is also very accurate. As the film develops towards the
middle part, the director uses advertising to convey the themes of "true" and "false".
At first, the interaction between the male and female protagonists are very fake,especially the part where she mixes her clothes with that of the guy, and the audience
begins to understand why she seems to be dissatisfied with everything and tries tocover things up. Then in the running scene, she lets go of something and we learn
that she and her boyfriend had separated, and she becomes more sincere. At the end,
the two talk about their dreams, and the guy mentions that he wants to write a zombie
story and thus reveal that he is a passionate person (as opposed how he appears on
the outside). The film is filled with these contrasts between "true" and "false" frombeginning to end, the outward appearance and what society sees, it’s like theemperor’s new clothes. In the end, the two part ways without incident, but the guy
turns around to say something that reveals his feelings for her. This film about trueand false uses the most fake and stylized means of expression like advertising, which
are ways of hiding their true selves. The explicit tresatment of cinematography
matches the theme to some extent, and the world view is one where everything is
fake but people are sincere on the inside if they dare to show it. In other words, boththe storyline and the style being used speak the same message as the film delivers
like a metaphor. This is my reading of it, so the film is not just a love story but
contains other layers, which makes it more interesting.

Fan:

The last work is Confession.

Chan:

I want to hear your opinions first. Having seen Tsai Ming Liang’s non narrative filmYour Face and I have drawn some comparisons, but I want to hear from you first.

Yang:

I have also seen Your Face, so when watching this I wonder if this is a documentaryor drama? The end credits show a list of actors. If this was a documentary, I would

10like it more. Watching the film, I have come to know these people and their faces,
but when the credits reveal they are actors, I feel a bit cheated.
Chan:

I felt confused when I saw the credits. Are they reenacting a real interview? Are theactors playing the part of interviewees? We don’t know.

Wong:

The director would not have made a mistake with the credits because it’s important.

Kwan:

The word “actor” is key.

Chan:

This affects how I judge this film. If it was a documentary, I would look at it from adocumentary point of view, and I would appreciate the silent parts, but if it was
designed, then the way I view it would be different.

Poon:

I agree, if they are reenacting, the silent parts would be fake and they would not be“confessions”. My written comments are based on the assumptions that these arereal interviews. From a directorial point of view, giving interviewees a silent stare isa brilliant technique because interviews are a psychological game, and sometimes
we use the silent moments to anticipate what will happen next. Sometimes directors
would deliberately slow down the pace to allow time to foment interviewees’
emotions. This is a very particular technique, but if it was simply acting, then thewhole thing is too simple.

Kwan:

I want to know if he filled in documentary or narrative film on the application form?

Szeto:On the application form, he filled in “experimental”.

Yang:

What did he say in the Director’s Statement?

Fan:

He didn’t say clearly one way or another.

Poon:

It could have been based on real experiences and the reinterpreted through acting,which is another emotional state.

Yang:

Another possibility is that the director knew the interviewees and asked them to playthemselves.

Kwan:

We will give the work benefit of the doubt and assume it is a documentary. If it was
nominated for awards, we will judge it according to the production technique.

Poon:

Because the film is based on interviews and confessions, a lot depends on how
resistant you are to the idea of acting. Sometimes when we plan to interview people,
we know ahead of time what we are going to ask and they know what they will say
in response. Sometimes after an interview, we’d ask interviewees to recount theirstories in one go rather than presenting things in a conventional question and answer
manner. We would set up the camera and allow interviewees the time to organize
thoughts in their own minds before the cameras start to roll. This method is different
11from the usual interview but is equally valid. It gives interviewees a heads up andtime to prepare their stories, and the interview itself is based on their real experience,
it’s just that we give them time to rehearse.
Wong:

According to what you just sad, you would view this work as a documentary?

Poon:

Yes, as long as the content is not made up but based on real experiences. It’s ok if
the director chooses to film people in a studio. To me, a documentary is not limited
to observational, direct cinema method, and can encompass many different
techniques. Documentaries have the power to force you to find new forms and new
ways of expression. This is my opinion.

Yang:

Documentaries should reflect reality. If it was re-presenting reality and theinterviewees are acting out their own confessions, that’s no problem. But this means
the work is halfway between experimental, narrative and documentary.

Fan:

We are trying to get in touch with the director. In the past, we have encounteredsimilar problems, like questioning whether a Youth Category work was directed by
the entrant or have participation by teachers, etc. This affects how we view andinterpret the work. According to the information provided, the entrant had listed thework as experimental. It depends on how jury members want to interpret this work,and judge it fairly according to objective standards. We have discussed all 10 works,
and should move on to nominating works for awards. You can choose your favorite
works and we will discuss them.

Chan:

How many should we choose?

Fan:

From one to three works according to the number of awards. You can pick four tofive if you want, we can narrow down our choices for discussion.

Chan:

I nominate Ward 11, 3 Generations 3 Days and Old Man And A Dog.

Yang:

Old Man And A Dog, 3 Generations 3 Days and Endless Chain of Lies.

Poon:

Comrades, Ward 11 and 3 Generations 3 Days.

Wong:

Comrades, Ladles and Old Man And A Dog.

Kwan:

Comrades, Old Man And A Dog, Ward 11 and Endless Chain of Lies.

Fan:

We have narrowed our choices. I will list some works that did not receive any
nominations and we can eliminate them from our discussion. These include Paupera,
Spawning Migration, ephwaipi and Confession. Old Man And A Dog has received
the most nominations, but that does not mean it will automatically get Gold, and canjust be the common denominator. Only Eric Poon did not choose this work.
Comrades, Ward 11 and 3 Generations 3 Days each got three nominations, while
Endless Chain of Lies received two votes and Ladles received one vote. Do you
have works that you wish to nominate for Gold or Silver, or are you still undecided?
12

Poon:

I nominate Ward 11 for Gold. The story and theme are profound and the two artists
are important. Using a mixture of documentary techniques and dance as a medium,the production standard is high and is an excellent work.

Chan:

I also second Ward 11 for Gold Award. This story is hard to film and is about arelationship. The two rely on dance to connect everything and the director has donea good job.

Fan:

Do you have other nominations for Gold or other awards?

Yang:

I nominate Old Man And A Dog for Silver. As I mentioned before, the director
succeeds in conveying the bitter state of the protagonist, the desperation of the old
man and the sense of hopelessness. The shots where he looks out of the window iswell done, and his encounter with the dog is not overly melodramatic. The handlingof the three characters is skillful and the editing technique is mature.

Kwan:

I nominate Old Man And A Dog for Gold. I like Ward 11 too, but Old Man And A
Dog is more difficult to make by comparison, and to me it is more profound. The
director uses some surrealist techniques to tell the story. For example, in one scene,
the camera films the old man’s back, and the voice of the grandson is heard, saying,“Grandpa, should I have come earlier?” 3 Also, using the same actor to play two
doctors with different attitudes, all these are deliberate choices and exceed most
realist dramas. The script is also outstanding, especially the scenes where the oldman is home alone. If there was no dialogue, it would be very boring, but the director
handles these scenes very well.

Wong:

There are a few works that I really like, including Comrades, Ward 11 and 3
Generations 3 Days. But if I were to choose between Ward 11 and Old Man And A
Dog for Gold Award, I would choose Old Man And A Dog because I agree with
Kwan that this work is more profound. Ward 11 is a good-looking work, but in termsof humanistic spirit, Old Man And A Dog is superior.

Chan:

I also want to nominate 3 Generations 3 Days for Gold or Silver award. It is adept
at using cinematic language to tell its story, and that’s why it is worth considering
for Gold or Silver award.

Fan:

We have at least three works in the running for Gold Award, including Old Man
And A Dog, Ward 11 and 3 Generations 3 Days. Are you ready to choose the Gold
Award from these three?

Yang:

I can switch my vote for Endless Chain of Lies to Ward 11. The film expresses therelationship between the two protagonists and how they value dance very well.

Wong:

My pick for Silver Award is Ward 11.

3

In the film, the dog has died in the previous scene.
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Fan:

You are now nominating this for Silver, whereas you didn’t have any nominations,right?

Wong:

That’s right, my decision is based on our previous discussion. For me, Comrades
has special meaning, but of course it’s up to all of you, but I hope that Comrades canget Special Mention.

Poon:

I am not at all opposed to Comrades getting Special Mention and it’s a good thing
if it won a higher award. Compared to other works, it deserves a Special Mention.
As for choosing among Old Man And A Dog, Ward 11 and 3 Generations 3 Days,
we should consider the nature of ifva. In addition to narrative films, should we allow
films that record lives, that incorporate documentary and dance video to good effect?
Making a film like this is no easier than making a narrative drama, especially if thescript is not written by the director and came from the lives of the two dancers. The
difficulty lies in conveying dance while at the same time conveying their lives, andthe result is very good. By comparison, Old Man And A Dog has certain flaws, while
the script, directing and acting of 3 Generations 3 Days is alright. Considering thetheme of ifva, I favor a work like Ward 11.

Kwan:

Old Man And A Dog is a narrative drama, but we should not simply treat it as anarrative film and neglect its independent spirit because it is both independent andinnovative. I also like Ward 11, but it has some flaws, such as we could see more
about Hock’s death. The film emphasizes that the two are one and the same, so
Hock’s death is important. What happens at the end to the other half who still lives
on? Now the film lacks one final touch for a feeling of completion. What would
happen when lx is alone? The film does not say and there is a blank.

Chan:

Old Man And A Dog is a good work, but we are not talking about whether it is goodor bad, but which work is better. Aside from the performance of the male lead, theother actors in Old Man And A Dog are lacking, so I hesitate whether it deserves theGold Award. Of course, Ward 11 has flaws too, but it is more complete and theexpression is better than Old Man And A Dog. I guess we can discuss some more.

Yang:

Can I propose a giving two Gold awards? If we decide that Comrades is Special
Mention, I think we can encourage artists to make different types of films that reflect
the current situation and lead to greater diversity.

Wong:

If we give two Golds, does that mean we mut omit Silver?

Fan:

In principle, this is the case. But in the discussion just now, it seems that different
jury members have different films that they like. process just now, each jury has
different favorites for individual works. I would like to ask everyone whether you
are making this suggestion because you cannot reach agreement? Or is it because
you think both works are of similar quality and cannot come to a decision?

Chan:

Right now, the two works have similar number of votes, perhaps with one vote’s
difference. That’s why Ruby Yang made this suggestion.
14

Fan:

I understand, that’s why we have five jury members. Are these two works equallyimportant and you cannot rank one higher than the other? As a competition, we want
to choose a work that stands for this moment in time, which will get the Gold Award
this year. In the 17th ifva, we had two Gold Awards 4. In the end, it depends onwhether the two works are really evenly matched. If they are to share an award, itmeans that they are the two most outstanding works in ifva this year.

Yang:

It seems it is down to Old Man And A Dog and Ward 11 getting Gold or Silver.

Poon:

Have we eliminated 3 Generations 3 Days?

Fan:

I think so. except for Ernest Chan, no one had suggested this work for the Gold
Award.

Chan:

If it didn’t get Gold Award, I would nominate 3 Generations 3 Days for Special
Mention. I hope we can have one more slot for Special Mention.

Wong:

Can we have more than one Special Mention?

Poon:

If we have more than one slot, I’d like to nominate Ladles.

Chan:

Between Ladles and Endless Chain of Lies, I would like to nominate the latter forSpecial Mention. It is a meaningful work.

Fan:

You are thinking in the right direction, because Special Mention should carry somemeaning. It is not a Bronze Award after Gold and Silver, but rather, the work shouldhave something worth mentioning.

Wong:

If Gold and Silver is a choice between Old Man And A Dog and Ward 11, I want tonominate Comrades and Ladles for Special Mention.

Yang:

I nominate Comrades and Endless Chain of Lies for Special Mention.

Poon:

So, Comrades is a shoo-in for Special Mention?

Chan: I agree with Comrades and Endless Chain of Lies getting Special Mention.
Kwan: I agree.
Fan: You all picked Comrades as Special Mention, while three jury members nominatedEndless Chain of Lies and two nominated Ladles. Would you object if we awarded Special
Mention to Comrades and Endless Chain of Lies?
All:

4

No objections.

The Open Category of the 17th ifva had two Gold Award winners, 1+1 and Meeting of the Half Moons.
15

Fan: Let’s return to the discussion about Gold and Silver awards. You have exchanged viewson this matter, If you have just one vote for Gold Award, which work will you vote for?
Chan: I vote for Ward 11.
Poon: Me, too.
Wong: I vote for Old Man And A Dog.
Kwan/Yang: I agree.

25th ifva Awards Open Category Award Winners
Gold Award
Old Man And A Dog(Chan Hon-yan)

Silver Award
Ward 11(Tsang Tsui-shan)

Special Mention
Comrades(Kanas Liu)

Endless Chain of Lies
(Liknifena)16

25th ifva Awards Open Category Juror’s Comment
ComradesMary Wong: The strength of Comrades lies in its abandonment of slogan-shouting
approach.Through a series of short stories, the film makes up a bigger picture that reveals
realistic details and inner state of every single being in a turbulent environment. The film has
made immediate responses to social events, and its production method is of high significance.
The film deserves recognition regarding its social and artistic values.
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: It is very challenging to film real-time conflicts within a close distance.
Considering this, Comrades is exceptionally skillful in terms of its uncluttered editing andlively-paced rhythm. There is, however, a common limitation regarding documentaries about
the Anti-ELAB movement we received this year. Generally there lacks the expression ofdifferent thoughts and feelings by individual beings in a social movement. Having their faces
masked and their names hidden, protestors are portrayed as comrades or fellows. Concerning
this, I find the problem of Comrades particularly obvious after watching Inside the Red Brick
Wall at HKindieFF. However, I still appreciate the fact that Comrades has promptly recorded
certain aspects of the movement.
Eric Poon: From a close distance, Comrades captures frontline actions in the Anti-ELAB
movement and records confrontations between hardcore protestors and police on the street.
Viewing the tension and texture of these scenes, one can experience the coexisting courage andfear. The film is made with outstanding shooting and editing techniques.
Ruby Yang: Good observation style of documentary filmmaking. A chapter of Hong Kong
history has to be recorded.
Kwan Pun-leung: While most documentaries about social movements favour a grandperspective, the film managed to converge on street protests during one single night. As
protestors were fighting and retreating, the camera alternated between wide shots and close ups.
The film captures the brotherhood, vulnerability and solidarity of these young people in a calmand precise style.

PauperMary Wong: The film depicts the interweave of people in our city. The tragedy lies between
the seen and the unseen. Written with better details, Ah Hong the new immigrant is the mostestablished character. The elementary school teacher, on the other hand, feels flats even hemakes more presence.
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: The plot in the school shows some flaws. The dialogue, which issomewhat too straightforward, diminishes the power of the story. The scenes about the nursing
home and the taxi driver are better. Personally I think Tai Bo’s performance is particularly
17admirable. The conversation between him and the woman passenger can easily become
awkward, but his life-like acting makes the drama convincible.
Eric Poon: The story revolves around three different characters who do not come across eachother: a young, inexperienced teacher, a single mother who has to support her family and a taxi
driver who has seen it all. They were connected by a child abuse tragedy on screen, while theaudience were feeling the hopelessness and guilt when stepped into their shoes.
Ruby Yang: The theme is well expressed and with good intention. The script is slightly
conventional but the direction is competent, the acting of the driver and the new immigrant are
good.
Kwan Pun-leung: Like a multi-faceted mirror, the film reflects the living situation of several
socially vulnerable groups. Although each character walks the path of life alone, their journeys
lead to latent social crisis and tragedy. The creator demonstrates acute observation andimmense compassion towards the society.
Old Man And A Dog
Mary Wong: Revolving around old people and death, the film unfolds its plot in a sober tone
without pretentious warmth. This is what I appreciate. While the old man is quite aloof towards
life, the doctor and his colleagues bear the same mindset as well. The appearance of the dog
only bring a faint sense of purpose to this apathetic world. There is no intense joy or sadness.
Perhaps that’s all we need.
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: The acting of the mother and grandson could be more natural. However,Paul Che’s performance brightens up everything. Whenever he appears, the scene becomes
captivating. This holds true even for a shot in which he is simply watching through the window
with his back facing the camera. I suppose the filmmaker has the experience of owning dogs,
which explains his sophisticated execution of details. The dog serves as an allegory to the oldman. When he passes away, he is accompanied by the dog’s spirit who returns. The significancelies in it is particularly immense.
Eric Poon: Paul Che’s excellent acting performance gives substance to the whole picture, andcontributes to the theme about life and death. The side-story about the pet dog and grandson
also enriches the motif of life.
Ruby Yang: The story is told fluidly and with details to production details. The actor who plays
the man is very convincing as a dying person. The bond between the dog and the man is welltold. Using the death of the dog to parallel the man’s predicament is well told.
Kwan Pun-leung: Children, dog, old people and death, all these pose enormous challenges forfilmmaker, who braced them head on with a narrative that goes beyond merely realistic
approach. In a mellow and gifted style, Old Man And A Dog is a calm and substantial workthat cherishes humanism.

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Spawning Migration
Mary Wong: The film probes into the life of psychopaths. The most significant aspect is its
attempt to understand their imagination and aspiration. In the end, they advance from an
incarcerating indoor space to the seaside, creating a remarkable scene. However, I’m not able
to understand the relationship between Hong Kong and Taiwan depicted in the film.
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: Very provocative and intentionally disturbing. The leading actor hasamazing level of energy, which could almost be misjudged as a mentally handicapped person.
The story could be understood as a metaphor for liberation from an imprisoned world andpursuit for freedom. There is an odd but romantic feeling created by the imitated punting. At
the end, the two walk out nude from a structure that resembles a turned over boat. The scene ismade with sudden wide shots and the effect is astonishing.
Eric Poon: Emotionally challenging, the film pushes audience to extreme states with its
characters, images and narrative. The surrealistic moment in the ending scene seems to offer
an exit path. But I guess even the narrator cannot tell where it leads to.
Ruby Yang: Full of tension and camerawork captures the internal struggle of the characters.
Excellent casting. The cinematic use of squareness for confinement vs the freedom of space atthe end is a good direction.
Kwan Pun-leung: Blending brutal, romantic and magical elements, the work is vigorous andladen with raw power.
LadlesMary Wong: In an experimental fashion, it is a work that inspires imagination. With plain but
elegant visual languages, it explores nature and life, and connects thoughts around the world.
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: The aerial shots of beaches are strikingly beautiful and resemble ink wash
paintings. The overall sound design is of high quality as well. However, leaving the beach, thescenes about mountains and woods feel sluggish. The conversation between Ricky Yeung andthe child about oceans and books seem to compare the ceaseless movement of sea water to theendless pursuit of book or knowledge. Eventually the camera takes us to a cave andcommunicates a sense of returning to the primal state. While the ending leaves room forinterpretation, it still feels deliberately mystifying.
Eric Poon: The aerial view shots are peaceful and offers meditative gazes.
Ruby Yang: Simple & poetic in execution. Connections between nature and between two
people. The sound design was meditative as well as showing the force of nature.

19

Kwan Pun-leung: Combining possibilities of new technology, the film develops its narrative
and aesthetics. A truly original work.

ephwaipi
Mary Wong: The film describes the authors’ pursuit for purposes in the society from anapparent feminine perspective. What amuses us is their attempt to break loose from theformal constrain of mainstream movies. Nonetheless, the overall visual style bears aresemblance to that of genre films. Are the filmmakers trying to tell us that there are always
limitation when one seeks meanings in such a society?
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: A youthful and interesting short film. Disjointed and casual, ephwaipi
gives off a playful air with eccentric rhythm. There is a sense of seemingly intended
incompleteness. It’s like a bunch of broken pieces collaged together, or a few pages randomly
torn from a journal. In its most amusing scene, the two directors show themselves and discuss
their work. It’s not a prize-winning title, but its candidness and nativity are something weshould treasure.
Eric Poon: (Declare Conflicts of Interest)
Ruby Yang: Conception is good but fragmented. Good content but the execution issuperficial but of course youth is about exploration. So why not try to fantasize!
Kwan Pun-leung: Forthright and unrestrained, the film is precisely conceived as well. It
intends to challenge regulations and pursue goals within a self-defined contest. Consisting ofmultiple styles, experiments and explorations, ephwaipi reflects the rebellious andcontradictory spirit one bears during the coming-of-age process.
Ward 11
Mary Wong: Addressing the theme of dance, the film transcends its subject matter by
exploring the connection of two people concerning art, society and life. It also features poetic
images merging the two characters into one.
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: Mature and gentle, the film consists of interviews and dance
performances. The relationship between the two leads is moving. Moreover, the effective
scenery shots illustrate poetic beauty and appropriate rhythms.
Eric Poon: It is usually the real-life story that intrigues us, and that explains the enjoyment ofviewing documentaries. With precise cinematography and editing that show the right amountof everything, the film allows characters to naturally express themselves in the picture. Whatmoves us most is the dance of life performed by the two leads.
Ruby Yang: Beautifully executed piece between love, dance and partnership.

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Kwan Pun-leung: With an alternative and poetic approach, the film dissolves the boundary
between dance and life and realises the blending of art and documenting. With maturetechniques, the film is about surpassing social constraints wife existence.

3 Generations 3 Days
Mary Wong: Personally I feel the work demonstrates how women of the lower strata adhere
to the tradition and confined themselves with it. The young female lead of the film isparticularly repressive. While the old lady can express herself loudly, the younger one isalways putting other people – women of the two older generations and men of her age group first. This is something exceptionally successful about this film. The personality of the main
actress, however, should be better developed.
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: The fix framed long shots are well devised. Depicting the gender-biased
situation confronting women of three generations, the film narrates a life-like story in asensitive and delicate style.
Eric Poon: Good script-writing, directing and acting. The long take of the ending scene isincredibly impressive.
Ruby Yang: Good script and direction. Natural performances by three generations of actress.
The generational differences and challenges they face were told with simple elegance.
Kwan Pun-leung: Excellent and original mis-en-scene, cinematography and creation of
atmosphere. Subtle performance. The portrayal of characters leave a lingering aftertaste.
Endless Chain of Lies
Mary Wong: The key ideas are likely to be urban nights and loneliness. The film narrates theunusual encounter between a man and a woman who are living a mundane life in Hong Kong.
While the picture delivers the mood of urban sentimentally, its characters could be writtenwith better richness.
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: The film carries a personal style regarding its colour tone, music andrhythm. There is a touch of comic approach. And it slightly feels like a younger version of
Chungking Express. The sea in the ending scene is gracefully filmed.
Eric Poon: Revolving around a pair of young man and woman who come across each other ina laundry shop, the film employs a lively-paced narrative with enduring lines. Their shortlived encounter is portrayed with scenes that blur reality and capture the fleeting intimacy
between them.
Ruby Yang: Good art direction and cinematography. Nice choices of actor & actress. The
theme was expressed in playful and artistic ways.

21

Kwan Pun-leung: With sophisticated skills as well as fashionable design and narrative, thefilm deconstructs the hypocritical nature of our society. An eye- catching piece.

Confession
Mary Wong: The “silent” moments are meaningful. It exerts a force and an alienating effectof mundane life. However I think there is an incongruity between the interviews and theoverall atmosphere.
Ernest Chan Chi-wa: The three confessions are powerfully filmed. However, they remind meof Your Face by Tsai Ming-liang, which also features close ups of human faces and allows
intimate observation of facial expressions. There are moments of silence in Tsai’s project aswell. Therefore, I do not find Confession surprising. And I wonder if these interviews are preconceived and rehearsed.
Eric Poon: The power of these interviews do not only originate from their succinct content
but also those silent gazes towards the camera during which the interviewers andinterviewees are holding their breath. These thought-provoking moments, which display thepower of silence, can be deemed as a form of confession as well.
Ruby Yang: Interesting concept, the viewers are forced to confront these people’s faces andstudy them. One begins to form perception about these people but the filmmakers slowing
revealing their inner thoughts, fear and vulnerabilities. I wonder why the filmmaker only
chooses these stories.
Kwan Pun-leung: Unveiling the process of filmmaking, the work returns to the basic ofmedia and penetrates life with the simplest and most direct force.

22