thThe 16 ifva Open Category Jury Meeting Transcript

Jurors in Attendance: Ann Hui (HUI), Ip Yuk Yiu (IP), Shek Kei (SHEK), Lorna Tee (TEE),
Vernie Yeung (YEUNG)
Organizer Representatives: Teresa Kwong (KWONG), Kattie Fan (FAN)HUI:

I like disabled novel, which I find quite refreshing and interesting. It handles thejuxtaposition of different realities very well. Very often those of us who make films
or are involved in creativity may observe people on the streets, but it is hard tocome up with fresh ideas and feelings. This film gives me a lot of feelings. Also it
is very quiet, and uses very few elements.

SHEK:

He director only used subtitles.

HUI:

Usually such works are hard to do because they can often appear cliched andboring. But I was never bored when watching this film.

SHEK:

Is it because it is short?

HUI:

Perhaps, but I didn’t mind. I just kept watching, and I felt that its observations andthe feelings it creates are exactly those that I experience when I am in this city.
Usually films like this are hard to do well, but I was never bored. I don’t verymuch care for The Ripple. The director tried his best, and the filmmaking is
alright. The plot is a bit unexpected and the story-telling is good. The acting has
the same problem as all student films, which is a bit amateurish. Perhaps theycannot find good actors, yet this film really needs some. I think this work ought tobe encouraged, but its technique is a bit too standard. I don’t particularly like it,
but it is a promising work.
I really like that documentary about the granny, This Pair. The director’s powerof observation is very good, and she is good at capturing the relationshipbetween the family members. The scene where the mother and granny quarrel isgood, and the shot with the mother sitting on the bed with her leg up is especiallywell-done. The best part about the film is showing them reconciled and havingtea. The director touches upon different layers, for example, with one or twoscenes she manages to show how the uncle’s wife treats the family. I find the film
multi-layered and rich. As a documentary it is objective, yet at the same timeshows the director’s concern and involvement. That’s why I like the film verymuch.
Tsoi Yuen Villagers is more standard. It is a good work that strives to find thebalance between Confucianism and rationality. The use of shots and theirlengths are well thought-out. The director likes to use visual means to express
his feelings towards the protagonist, like showing him at work and sellingvegetables. Even though these scenes are sometimes boring, they arenonetheless meaningful. Most young directors are afraid of boredom. In
portraying the protagonist’s labor, the director shows objectively that he likes thissort of life. For a young director, this is a good attitude.

TEE:

His technique is more conventional.

SHEK:

I think the works this year are more conventional, proper and professional. The
works do not attempt to be experimental. Some of them are lacking from a story-

telling point of view. For example The Decisive Moment is very professionallydone and has a good subject matter concerning the ethics of photo journalists.
However he could have delved more deeply, the ending is too predictable andsome scenes are too contrived. The Ripple is not bad, but his story-telling isquestionable. At the end the family gathers for dinner, the mother cries, but when
she says that the father really loves the family, it is as though the conflict the film
has built up is completely resolved. Yet the audience wants to know whether thefather is having an affair with the other woman, who seems to be merely hiscolleague. It is as though a chunk of the story is missing.
TEE:

The story-line sets up certain things, but everything gets resolved as a result of
one line.

SHEK:This shows his story-telling technique is somehow lacking. However other partsof the film are alright.

YEUNG:The Ripple is the most mature work among the finalists in terms of both lighting
and acting. My favorite work is This Pair, which moved me the most because
the director dealt with a subject close to her. She understands the wholesituation. The first work I looked at was Crimson Jade, then Cell, followed by
The Ripple and This Pair. When I watched This Pair I felt that it had won. The
Ripple and This Pair have similar subject matters. I think that people who startout making films should begin by exploring subjects they are familiar with. This
Pair uses the director’s own family as the subject matter, which moves me agreat deal. If it wasn’t a documentary, it would still be a very good film. It follows
the mother to the toilet, films them quarrelling, and people talking on the taxi.
Many scenes leave an impression with me. Tsoi Yuen Villagers has similar
technique, but the main subject is not someone the director is familiar with.
Neither film is boring. This Pairis great because it tells the director’s own story,
and you can easily feel her point of view. However I feel that she should not haveinterjected.

SHEK:This is based on real life. If the director feels she has something to say, she saysit.

YEUNG:

I feel she should not have interjected at one point.

TEE:

She and her mother are cut from the same cloth.

YEUNG:

When the granny cries she butts in.

SHEK:

She felt she wanted to speak, so she spoke up. I don’t think she needed tocensor herself. Even though she never appears on camera, she puts herself inthe work right from the start. Many scenes are very real, but her boldness lies notjust in her honesty, but the fact that she shows us a lot of private things. It evenmakes me wonder if I should be watching this.

YEUNG:

I feel this film is like a revenge.

SHEK:

Luckily the film is saved by the ending. That scene with the whole family is very
important. If it was just family quarrels then the film would not have been worth
seeing. When I was watching it I felt I was intruding on this family. Luckily theending scene saved the film.

YEUNG:

What moved me was seeing the granny and mother reconciled at the tea housethe next day. This is a powerful ending.

SHEK:

I think this film deserves a prize. It has a depth that other films lack.

YEUNG:

I think film is an audio-visual medium, but disabled novellacks the audio
dimension. I don’t know what to do with my ears when I watched it. It thought
there was something wrong with the DVD.

IP:

The ten works represents an interesting phenomenon. Usually I like works thatare raw, but I don’t have any strong feelings towards This Pair. Some works are
too refined and formulaic. I think two of the works manage to strike a balance
between the two qualities. They are 21 years after. and 17.9 18 18.1. They bothhave good technique, yet are personal and have a sense of rawness. The
directors of both films are my former students, and the director of This Pair isalso a former student. The themes of both 21 years after. and 17.9 18 18.1arequite personal, but they use conventional filmmaking techniques to express them,and the execution is quite fine. Both works are almost like personal filmmaking
with minimal crew, but the end result is quite fine, which I respect. I don’t judge afilm as fine or raw or its own sake, and I think both films strike a balance between
the two. Both directors of 21 years after. and 17.9 18 18.1are in their early 20s.
The technique of 21 years after. is not new. It combines realism and narrative
elements. The director is a young man who had just graduated, and he made thisfilm after he left school. It is a film about politics and growing up, and is full ofyouthful spirit. It is ambitious in telling a story about his own political views, andthe film combines the real and the imagined. By contrast, films like Crimson
Jade and Fresh Wave works have funding support and are guaranLorna Teedexhibition, and they are more conventional in form. 21 years after. was made by
the director on his own accord after he graduated, which is rare to see.

YEUNG:

21 years after. uses a Bible quote at the beginning, which turned me off, but
that’s just a personal thing. After watching this film, I definitely think this film isworth recommending to others. Crimson Jade tells a realistic story, but its styleis far from realism.

IP:

I don’t care for Crimson Jade. This issue should not get such a treatment. I think
it overly prettified, and it overly anesthetized the subject.

YEUNG:In terms of cinematography, The Ripple is the most pretty and unpretentious, but
I find it too mature. The execution, for example the editing, lighting and visuals
are quite outstanding. But when I watched This Pair I found the message ismuch stronger, and The Ripple pales by comparison.

TEE:

This Pair is very honest, but The Ripple is a bit melodramatic, like a soap opera.

HUI:

I am ambivalent towards 21 years after.. Its cinematography is very film schoolish, and I didn’t like it at first, nor did I find the story very convincing. However I
sense the director’s conviction as the film progressed, and I became affected. At
first I didn’t like his mannerism as well as the casting choices of the mother andthe protagonist, whose acting skills are so-so. Some scenes are very
melodramatic, like the scene where he runs on the street as he listens to theradio show, and the technique is copied from classic cinema. However in thescene with Tsang Kin Shing I sense his integrity, so I think this film ought to be
encouraged. All the finalist works have great potential, and you can see thedirectors’ conviction and beliefs in many of them. Even though many of the films
are independent, their techniques are taken from other films. They are not as
explosive as the indie films of old.

TEE:

The ten works are not independent or creative enough. They are all good works,
but none is very independent or creatively outstanding.

HUI:

Actually Cell, Styx and 17.9 18 18.1are not so Confucian- they are more crazy.
The story of Styx is quite absurd, yet its acting and lighting made me believe inthe story. The boy is especially good. It is a flawed but interesting work, andmakes me think about the presence of evil in the world and what to do about it.
The structure of Cell is interesting and the story is meaningful. I like The
Decisive Moment. It should be an epic, but there is not enough time to develop
the story. It only contains key moments, so the effect is a bit dramatic. Overall all
the finalist works are very promising.

TEE:

Yet I don’t see any exciting new voices among them. The ten finalists all havetheir good points, but none contain things I haven’t seen elsewhere before.

HUI:

All the works are flawed, and their flaws are in direct proportion to the work’s
ambition. The bigger the ambition the bigger the flaw.

SHEK:

Is The Decisive Moment base on a true story? Did people really shield bullets
with their bodies? If it is true a lot of people should know about it.

YEUNG:

The film interviews a guy at the end.

SHEK:

That’s an actor.

TEE:

Perhaps it’s adapted from a true story.

YEUNG:

17.9 18 18.1 has a great deal of creative freedom. A lot could be decided in theediting room. It is an experimental film, but I find it not experimental enough. It isa bit passé, and reminds me of experimental films from the 1970s. Whether
deliberately or not, even the sound effects have a 1970s feel.

TEE:

Because they want to try something experimental, it is best to use a low-techmethod, which would be more fun as well. Using more modern methods would
cost a lot of money. Since it is low-tech, it has a 1970s feel to it.

YEUNG:In this day and age, experimental works appear out-dated.

SHEK:

Many mainstream and non-mainstream sci-fi films like to return to the past, which
is not a problem. The story of 17.9 18 18.1 is not convincing, and there are notsufficient sci-fi elements. The cinematography is alright, but not expressive
enough. You say disabled novel should have an audio dimension, but you cantreat it as a silent movie. Yet the film is too simple.

YEUNG:

Even silent movies have music.

SHEK:

Not always.

YEUNG:

Maybe this is just a personal reaction.

IP:

I don’t have very strong feelings towards disabled novel, but I think it
consciously uses the lack of sound to achieve an alienating effect. The absenceof sound can be a sound strategy as well. I’m not saying it uses this strategy well,
but when watching it, I understood why the director does not want me to become
too involved in the story. I was very self aware when watching it. There are notrue silent films in the world. By not having sound you are already making astatement that you are deliberately excluding sound. He turns language into a
textual element and puts it in the subtitles, and he does it in a self-conscious way,even though it’s not done very well because the text is too fragmented. The tenworks do not include any confrontational or aggressive experimental works.
disabled noveldeliberately challenges certain expectations by purposely not
giving me certain pleasure, which I understand. Yet I agree that the ten works are
not too strongly experimental.
YEUNG:

disabled novel is more like an installation than a film.

IP:

If it was an installation it would have been a failure because I would leave after
30 seconds. Now you are forced to watch it in discomfort. You want to wait andsee if the sound would come on.

HUI:

Whether or not the works are experimental is not the most important concern, butwhether the works are interesting. The ten works are derived from the humanistic
tradition. They talk about people’s lives, be they positive or negative, andseriously and intelligently explore social issues. For example 21 years after.,This Pair and Tsoi Yuen Villagers have a neutralizing, almost moralistic attitude.
This is a good thing. They are not just concerned with the medium and visualelements, but are about the artists’ points of view. These are the most importantqualities in a work, and will make these films endure the test of time.

YEUNG:

Tsoi Yuen Villagers is good, but it reminds me of a TV documentary.

HUI:

Should we give awards based on whether the work has potential or whether it
has integrity? The two are different.

SHEK:

Every person can have his or her own standards, and we can bring them up for
discussion.

YEUNG:

I think we judge whether or not it is a good film, not whether it is experimental, its
technique is old or new, or whether it is complete. We should just select a good
film.

TEE:

But there are many ways to define what is good.

IP:

I think we can recognize a director’s potential with special mentions, and the
grand prize should go to good films.

SHEK:

Many films are morally sound. The Ripple is about familial love, The Decisive
Moment talks about journalistic integrity. Yet Styx does not try to be good.
Actually in real life, many people think about revenge.

IP:

I agree that Styx is more morally ambiguous. It also has good art direction.
However I don’t think it manages to probe the dark side of the soul, and it islacking in terms of editing and mise-en-scene. Compared to other works, itstheme is rather unique, yet the ending is too light. It would have been better if thedirector went all out.

KWONG:

Please select three favorite works, or vote to eliminate works that have nochance of receiving prizes.

IP:

There are no outstanding works this year. The ten works are all somehow flawed.

HUI:

I choose This Pair, disabled novel and Crimson Jade.

IP:

I choose 21 years after., Tsoi Yuen Villagers and 17.9 18 18.1.

SHEK:

This Pair, Styx, The Decisive Moment.

YEUNG:

This Pair, Tsoi Yuen Villagers and The Ripple

TEE:

Styx, 21 years after., This Pair.

KWONG:

Nobody voted for Cell, so we can eliminate it. This Pairgot four votes, while Styx
and 21 years after. each received two votes. Can we decide on the Gold Award
now?

SHEK:

I think the Gold award should go to This Pair.

(Ann Hui, Vernie Yeung and Lorna Tee agree.)
KWONG:Aside from This Pair, are there other nominees for the Gold Award?

IP:

Purely as a point of discussion, I recommend 21 years after..

SHEK:

Both 21 years after. and Crimson Jade are propaganda pieces in the sensethat they aim to propagate certain messages.

TEE:

21 years after. is not the kind of propaganda that the mainstream can embrace.

IP:

Crimson Jade is propaganda, but I wouldn’t describe 21 years after. this way. It
is a film with a certain political stance.

YEUNG:Is what it tries to propagate correct?

SHEK:

That depends on your point of view. I have no problem with propaganda as longas it is well made. 21 years after. has its own moral stance, while Styx tries toprobe the complexity of human nature.

TEE:

There are no good guys in the film. They are all bad.

HUI:

I agree that this director has potential. He forces me to think about things I would
not otherwise consider. The cinematography is good, like the scene where heteaches the girl how to use a knife, and both of them have their backs to thecamera. The color in the fairground scene is very garish. Its visuals, lighting andacting make me believe in this world. However, the story is flawed.

YEUNG:I was not convinced by 21 years after. at first. By the end I felt this film is worth
recommending to others.

IP:

I suggest giving the Silver Award to 21 years after..

TEE:

I agree, because there are very few such films in Hong Kong.

SHEK:

There are programs like that on TV, like during the 5 District Resignation
movement.

TEE:

I don’t care about the political message of 21 years after.. Politics is just a way
for this young person to engage with this city. The way he initiated the project
himself, and made it with almost no crew shows a strong independent spirit.

HUI:

I vote for Styx as the Silver Award winner. As a documentary Tsoi Yuen
Villagers is honest and believable, yet I don’t think it has any spark. Compared
to 21 years after., I find Styx more impressive. I would give the former points for
its political conviction and conviction, but its plot is more commonplace andlacking in imagination. I think the technique of Crimson Jade is good, and thetechnique and vision of Styx is better than 21 years after..

SHEK:

Crimson Jade is very professional, but it is too deliberate and pretentious. For
example, everything in the police station and the clothes are all green.

TEE:

Can we give both Styx and 21 years after. the Silver Award?

IP:

I think that’s acceptable.

YEUNG:

I agree.

KWONG:

Which work should get special mention?

YEUNG:

I vote for Crimson Jade. It’s shocking to me in a low-key way.

TEE:

Actually its filmmaking is anything but low key. Perhaps the acting is, but thetreatment is very heavy handed.

HUI:

I know Cheung King-wai well, and I’ve commented on the rough cut of this film,
so I shouldn’t say anything. However this film has won a lot of overseas awards.
Technically it’s one of the best works in this competition. So if you were to
exclude it, you should give an adequate explanation.

YEUNG:

Technically, The Ripple is better than Crimson Jade.

HUI:

The Ripple is technically sound, but not outstanding.

YEUNG:The Ripple is very standardized.

TEE:

The Ripple is very preachy. It tells you that you should go home and have dinnerwith your family.

HUI:

I don’t mind that. The actors who play the son and daughter are both good.

SHEK:

But its story is not complete enough. As for Crimson Jade, one way of looking at
it is that it has already received many awards, so you should give other works achance.

HUI:

That’s not right. All the works should compete on an equal basis.

IP:

I agree with Ann. But I don’t think Crimson Jade is that creative, and it is notindependent enough. I don’t see the director’s point of view. It is just a well-madefilm. It doesn’t excite me.

HUI:

I don’t have to choose Crimson Jade. I’d rather vote for The Decisive Moment,
since its aesthetics and casting is interesting.

IP:

Special mention is a special award, and many works deserve to be recognized.
For example, the casting of The Decisive Moment is interesting, and Tsoi Yuen
Villagers is simple but has its own well-considered aesthetics. Its subject matteris rare to see, and not over-aesthesized. The director is self conscious about
what he is doing, and the film strikes just the right notes.
YEUNG:

I agree. I think the protagonist in Tsoi Yuen Villagers is quite attractive and real.
Even though I cannot hear some of what he says, I nevertheless think he ischarming. The other visual elements are beside the point.

TEE:

The director treats a very current topic with restraint, which is commendable.

HUI:

This film matches ifva’s spirit.

SHEK:

But it’s too much like a RTHK program.

IP:

It is quite poetic, and is above the level of most RTHK shows.

TEE:

It has a certain romanticism. It makes me want to be a farmer!

SHEK:

I vote for The Decisive Moment.

KWONG:

So far the works nominated for special mentions include The Decisive Moment,
Tsoi Yuen Villagers and Crimson Jade.

IP:

It is only special mention. There is no prize money involved.

HUI:

Let’s vote to decide.

SHEK:This film tackles a big subject. The portrayal of the world of news is very realistic,
which is hard to achieve.

YEUNG:

If he made this up, he did a good job.

(The jury members vote, and The Decisive Moment receives 4 votes.)
TEE:

I have something to say about The Decisive Moment. The middle part of the film
where the woman talks directly to the camera is awful.

IP:

I suggest giving two special mentions, the other one to Tsoi Yuen Villagers. The
two films are very different, and it is appropriate to give special mentions to them,whereas I would not put them in competition for the Gold or Silver awards
because they differ in quality. However special mentions can be used torecognize achievements in certain areas, so we can pay tribute to the production
and casting of The Decisive Moment on the one hand and the subject matterand poeticism of Tsoi Yuen Villagers on the other.

YEUNG:The Decisive Moment starts off well. It hides a certain secret, but in the end I
feel let down by the secret. The girl getting into a car accident is not a surprise.

HUI:

Are we giving out too many awards?

IP:No, because special mentions only get a certificate.

KWONG:

Our bottom line is that as long as you don’t give awards to nine out of ten works,
it’s fine. The point of competitions is to award outstanding works.

IP:

The number of awards is about the same as previous years.

KWONG:

Let me sum up. The Gold Award goes to This Pair, Silver Award goes to Styx
and 21 years after., while two special mentions go to The Decisive Moment
and Tsoi Yuen Villagers.

Open Category
Gold Award
This Pair
WONG Yee-mei
Silver AwardStyx
YAU Hon-pong
Silver Award
21 years after.
LO Chun-yip
Special Mention
The Decisive Moment
WONG Wai-kit, HUI Chi-kin
Special Mention
Tsoi Yuen Villagers
SHEK Yi-ching, YIU Wing-ho, TANG Heng, SEUNG Yu-hang, HO Fung-lun