The 24th ifva Awards
Open Category Jury Meeting Transcript
Jury Members: Ying Liang (Ying), Adrian Chow (Chow), Candace Chong (Chong）, O SingPui (O), Stanley Kwan (Kwan)
Organizer representative: Kattie Fan (Fan)Fan:

The first work is The Bridge.

Kwan:

If I have no special feelings, can I not say anything?

Fan:

Not everyone has to speak, but I suggest that you give some comments to eachwork so that entrants will know what jurors think of their works.

O:

I guess entrants want to have juror’s opinions and approval.

Chong:

After watching the films, I looked at the comments of the first-round jury
members. I agree with Ying Liang that The Bridge is too neat and safe, and many
parts are overly straightforward.

Chow:

I saw the film for the first time on a computer and again on the big screen, and theimpression is quite different. I didn’t have very strong feelings the first timearound. However, the big screen magnified some things, and some subtle emotions
such as that between the father and son and certain values between people ofdifferent generations, including what is freedom, political struggle, big and small
issues, animal rights, coupledom (relationship), etc, all of these are magnified on
the big screen, and perhaps become too obvious. These issues are not as apparent
on the small screen, and now the feeling is more intense, and I give it higher marks
compared with previously.

O:

I’d seen this work before. I agree that it is interesting in that it is very light andpure. The artist brings out issues about self-identity and the relations between two
generations which he has deep feelings for. This very simple piece is quitesatisfactory. It could have been more refined, but I approve of its sincerity and that
it is not too overly sensational, but merely wants to express the director’s feelings.
For me, he has achieved his goal, and even though technically it is relatively lightweight, I find it acceptable.

Ying:

Because I wrote the review, I won’t repeat what I had written. I agree with what
you said. I can add that watching it on the big screen, many details, especiallysome small objects in the scenes left a stronger impression and my feelings for it
improved. This generally good work can be seen in the context of the present
social environment; even though it has the style and music of a Japanese family
drama, it also has a certain local originality and brings out issues concerning thiscity and between generations. As for expecting more about the work and thethinking behind it, is the film a bit conservative or restrictive? The son decides to1become a civil servant, is it because his parents are no longer around and he is free
to choose? Is this deliberate? Is it not a compromise but a kind of change? Looking
at the relationship between the father and the son today, and I don’t really knowwhat it is. There is a kind of awkwardness and I wonder what is his attitude andposition.
Kwan:

I agree with Ying Liang in saying that the whole film is very straightforward in its
form and scriptwriting. Many things are expressed directly. I don’t doubt thedirector’s goodwill or intention, but the story is so close to him, and because it is so
close, I wonder if he needs to be so straightforward with the dialogue? In daily life,
our conversations with parents are very trivial, but he chose to express himself in astraightforward way.

Fan:

If you don't have anything to add, let’s move on to the next work, Home Change.

O:

Watching the film again, I feel that the director successfully brought out the main
subject matter, but the technique is a bit crude and superficial. The director wants
to explore social issues but he does not go deeper. In former times, the land was
taken away by the government, and now it is usurped by developers. There are also
issues involving reform and opening up, urban development, tree cutting and arson.
He brings out these issues but failed to develop them further, which is a waste. The
film is divided into close-up and distant views, but the structure is very loose. He
merely raises issues but does not delve into it. How can he dig deeper and make thefilm richer? Upon viewing the film a second time, my feelings are the same.

Ying:

The treatment is relatively superficial, but I imagine it’s because he is observing
his own family up close and loses perspective. The director has not dealt withmany complicated issues. For example, the clan has many power relationships,
whether internal or external, and has complex power relations with thegovernment, the economy and social groups, including China’s rural land issues. In
fact, farmers do not have real ownership of land, and also there was collectivisationof land in former years, different types of power struggles, problems that had been
festering for many years, etc. The director only brings out the surface phenomenonof these issues but does not probe the underlying problems, which are the mostimportant. This film is not short, and it is a pity that it has not really penetrated into
the key issues within its running time of some twenty-five minutes.

Chong:

I thought it was very good at first, and the fact that the director involves his own
family who is affected by these problems. This work reminds me of Family
Family Day, which tells the story of the grandma’s death and brings out somewonderful secrets. However, this film is a bit too fragmented. It's a pity that it
didn't expound on the most important issues. If the filmmaker’s family is still
involved in this matter, there should be more ways to bring out their stories, but hedoes not go in that direction.

Kwan:

I have got to know many Mainland young directors in recent years. I agree withwhat Ying Liang said, that the director does not dig deep enough perhaps because
they are not mature enough. This is okay. But I know many young directors who
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wants to explore such issues, but they censor themselves. The subject matter
involving his clan is very interesting, but he is deliberately avoiding it or does nothave the ability to explore it. This really bothers me.
O:It may be because he is making a film about something close to him, and perhaps
has omitted some details because it is too sensitive or not good for his family or for
himself, he side-steps certain topics.

Chong:

So perhaps it is not political censorship but has something to do with his family.

Kwan:

This issue bothered me while watching the film. The text at the beginning
introduces an interesting topic.

Chow:

To a certain extent, this kind of avoidance or self-censorship is understandable. In
particular, this situation involves the relationship between the family and thevillage. I feel that sometimes, documentaries do not have to deal with problems ina very clear way. It is okay to bring out some issues for everyone to think about.
What matters is whether the work is mature or not, and whether it is done well ornot (technically). Viewing it on the big screen, many of its problems are magnified
and becomes very clear. The sound, especially, is really not ideal.

O:

It fails to reach basic standards.

Chow:

It really affects the audience’s appreciation of the film. The director brings out
some problems for the audience to think about, but these flaws really affect ourviewing of it.

Fan:

The next work is Silent City.

Kwan:

There is nothing wrong with this film, but I question whether it has to use suchprofessional actors as Ng Yuen-yee and Lam Wai.

Chong:

I agree. I understand your point.

Kwan:

This film is about a person who is released from prison. It is not supposed to be a
showcase for Ng Yuen-yee’s acting.

O:

Maybe he needs a professional actor to play this role, but I understand what you
mean. They are two different styles of acting. When we choose actors, in theory wewill choose the most suitable actor for the role. Perhaps for some of the scenes, thedirector requires a more experienced actor to enrich his film.

Kwan:

This is a question of choice. Perhaps the role will be better played by a nonprofessional who should suit the tone of the film better. For me, all I see is Ng
Yuen-yee, no matter how good her acting skills are.

Chong:

Ying Liang is not familiar with these two actors. Do you feel the same?

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Ying:

I don't have this feeling or got this type of message.

Kwan:

Maybe we are too familiar with Ng.

O:

If we look at an actor objectively, one should not pay attention to whether she is a
big star or not as long as she can achieve what the director wants to express andrequire. If it was a non-professional actor, perhaps they may not be able to deliver
physically, or perhaps the film needs an actor with more skills to help it reach ahigher level.

Chong:

I have this feeling too, so I agree with Kwan.

O:

The director’s idea is to find a professional to interpret his images?

Kwan:

Non-professionals may achieve another effect, but Lam Wai does not raise thedramatic effect of the film. He plays a person who has just been released fromprison, but his physical figure does not look like that of a tramp. Some details likethe hole on the nylon bed, it is obvious that the finger is enhanced by make-up. He
plays a down-on-his-luck person, yet wears make-up on his hand. I can't accept
that.

O:

The wooden strip next to the nylon bed looks too new, and the running shoes are
too clean.

Kwan:

The film’s details do not hold up together, they are too incongruous.

Chow:Your point of view is good. If the director wants to express his ideas with images,
he should focus on these two characters and their stories. Using a professional
actor may not help, maybe it would have been better to capture some real people
from this city. It may not be appropriate to use professional actors to enrich thefilm, it is not a suitable choice.

Kwan:

Because this film relies on pure image with no dialogue, it requires a certain purity
that is more than conventional drama. This reminds me of the touching simplicityof Family Family Day, which makes you not mind its use of long shots and thefact that the art direction is not very good. I think the purity of that film is the mostinteresting quality, while this film is pretentious.

O:

It is very difficult to convey feelings just with images.

Ying:

I don't know much about these two actors, but I feel that the director has put a lotof thoughts into the visuals. The jurors talked about this in the first round.
Watching it again today, I try to think about why he chose to present things thisway, like some of the special effects, which seem to be too exaggerated, whileother parts need to be considered more. What you have said so far is reasonable.

Fan:

The next work is Be a Rider or a Fool.

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Ying:

I feel the film is a little inadequate, obviously it does not go far enough. For
example, I wonder why they use interviews. What is the basis of the premise? I
didn't fully understand it after seeing it, but it doesn’t matter, I just failed to findthe reason. When I watched it the second time, I wondered why the director chose
this point in time to tell the story and why it is the most important time. I finally
understood that it is related to why they have fireworks in the New Year. But thatis not an adequate reason. The feelings of two people and the one being killed are
too simple. Some of the special effects of riding bicycles on the road are very niceand impressive, but some parts are still not adequate. The character setting of thetwo people is too simple, one is a very impulsive person, the other is very loyal,and that's it. There is no depiction of ethnic groups, social violence, neglected
power relations and respect for the differences in socially disadvantaged groups. It
is a pity that these parts are dealt with in overly simple ways because the idea isvery good.

Kwan:

The film has many simple and superficial elements, like choosing a young person
to narrate it. Is he telling the truth or telling a story? Is the story written to serve theinterview? The contrast between illusion and reality of this story brings out therealistic yet illusionary nature of film. If you say The Bridge is too real, I wonder if
this film is made just to express anger and revenge? I don’t think too much about
the power relations and injustice. The character is of a certain age, and talks aboutsomething he may not know and do not know how to judge. Maybe he is simply
mistreated by his boss. Perhaps the film serves to deepen social grievances andconflict with South Asians. The character merely follows others by saying, “I am
angry, I want revenge.”

Chow:

In addition to being bullied by the boss, the character also mentions that he feels
invisible, which is his reason for cycling. Before, cycling was a way to affirm his
existence and to attract attention, but now cycling has become a way to avoid
people because he does not want to stay at home. I think he has taken in a lot of
discrimination against South Asians in Hong Kong and suppressed somegrievances.

Chong:

This is one of the works that I like very much. It is interesting that I know that thescreen on the left is a drama, I can't help but want to follow it. While listening to
his narrative, I want to keep watching. This is also true of many of his monologues.
People feel they are not like that and this is wrong, but it makes me not want tojudge. As an ethnic minority in the city who is forced to live a certain way, it has toaffect him. Perhaps the filmmaker does not explore the issue in depth, but as ashort film, it made me think about the issues.

Chow:

The value of this film is in providing a chance for Hong Kong people to reflect.
We live side by side with South Asians, but what have we done? However,watching it on the big screen this time, I sense a certain danger. I don’t know if the
big screen magnified it, but I wonder if the impact is overdone. For viewers who
are unwilling or who don’t want to think about such issues, perhaps they will think
South Asians are violent. Will the audience deepen their discrimination against
5South Asians? Perhaps this danger is heightened on the big screen, and I wonder if
the filmmaker should adjust the tone to prevent that kind of danger?
Kwan:

By using this form, he has strived not to deepen discrimination.

O:

My feelings for this film has not changed since watching it the first time. The
young man’s accusation against society is interesting and powerful. However,watching it on the big screen this time gives me a feeling that it is fake and madeup, and I was unable to get into the drama. His presentation technique is good inthat he chooses to use a documentary form to tell this story about himself rather
than a made-up drama or concept.

Chong:

What you said about deepening discrimination changed my views somewhat. The
reason why there would be this danger is because we don’t know the character.
However, when I watch this film, I like him and am able to identify with hissituation. He says a lot, like the police are very bad, and I am able to see thingsfrom his perspective, which is very interesting.

Fan:

The next film is busydoingnothing.

Chow:This film is very interesting. In the first round, all three jurors of us, (Ying Liangand O Sing Pui too) chose this film and we all liked it. We appreciate the absurd,
comic book style of the film. Again, watching it on the big screen brings out someproblems. The absurdity comes from many silly and idiotic things, which the big
screen magnifies but obscures the comic book effects, making the film seem very
scattered. There is a big difference watching it on the big screen versus the small
screen.

O:

I like this film. The technique and skill are not perfect but I like his concept ofusing black humour and absurdity. Why must we work hard? Why do we have tohave a goal? Can I take it easy my whole life? The film uses a negative approach
to bring out a positive idea, which is the basis of his humour. Interestingly, thedirector’s technique may not be very mature, but I like the sense of nothingness. In
the end, it’s as simple as having a small party and enjoy the moment. This idea isvery interesting, and I also like the egg. I appreciate this attitude of life. Why can't
I do this? His ideas seem childish, like using adhesive tape on the floor. It seems
like a small step, but it is constantly improving.

Chow:

I want to add that I like the values of nothingness and decadence. I like that verymuch. I also like the content, the absurdity works well on the small screen, but the
big screen also magnifies the problems for the audience and covers up its good
points.

O:

The technique may be messy, and the director needs to improve his skills in order
to execute the absurd elements. The director’s skill is still immature, but I like thefilm conceptually.

6Chong:I like it very much. The protagonist works in a $12 store, which is a lively premise.
I like it very much and I enjoyed myself while watching it. It is very humorous.
However, it’s a pity that I have a feeling of being too full and having had a little
too much. The filmmaker should adjust the rhythm, now it feels messy and busy. I
don’t know how to describe it. Maybe it should be more compact and not so full,and not every character needs to be so naively complete. Maybe it will be moreinteresting that way?

Kwan:

The greatest meaning of this work is to encourage some young directors and letthem know that it’s alright to be lazy. In recent years, many young directors seemto me to have a tendency to look down on minorities. This film assures young
directors that they can be lazy and that to be an optimistic and humorous slacker isokay. However, the director’s lack of skills offsets this interesting story.

O:

I agree with what Kwan said. He seems to be negative but to some extent, he isvery positive.

Fan:

The next work is The Umbrella.

Chong:

I like this work. I felt the work is very singular at the beginning in that it talks
about a corrupt policeman and a Mainlander, but it is interesting that three things
happen at the same time, which makes me want to follow along. In the end I feelvery touched, and the three strands coming together creates a sense of suspense.

O:

I like this film. It depends on the camera to tell its story. Many directors, when they
start out, tend to think in terms of shots, but this is a purely personal choice and thevariations can be quite large. The content is not very interesting. There is a scene
involving slapping, a bookworm, and then later a group of young people who had
just joined the Umbrella Movement. The shots are very clever. Seen apart, there isnothing special about these elements, but when these simple things are presented indifferent ways, the effect is special. For example, why does the film An ElephantSitting Still use such long shots? It is a natural choice. If the shots are not so long,
their meaning is not apparent. The director of The Umbrella did not come about
his results by chance; he knows how to use shots. The film is not very dramatic,
but what is interesting is the thinking behind it and its attempt to explore thementality of young people in society today. The director chooses to talk about the
future through the school and the education system. The use of rain as a symbol isinteresting. The director has thought through things and is mature.

Kwan:

I agree, he chooses to tell this story, and cleverly picks this singular way.

Chong:The director uses a simple method to talk about some complicated things, such as
the state of society and young people. It is hard for scriptwriters to come up withthis kind of story.

Ying:

I also like it, and my reasons are similar to that of O Sing Pui. This story can only
be told on film. The only thing that gives me pause is that the film is dominated bysound, which leads the audience into the various spaces and helps the audience get
7into the story, but I can't accept this part. Long shots should be relatively open andallow the audience to choose and interact with people in different spaces, rather
than forcing emotions, judgments, etc. upon the audience. The sound takes a strong
leading role, which is very technical and intentional and made me feel
uncomfortable. We can discuss this further. I don’t mean to put the film down, but
it is obvious that the director has certain ambitions, but does he go overboard in theend? When it gets to the part about the suicide, it seems unnecessary to bepresented so strongly.
Chow:This is a stage play that is made using film techniques, and every part is designed.

Kwan:

The sound design is like the lighting effect on a stage play.

Chow:

Every time I watch it, the emphasis is different and I find that everything is
calculated. It is a highly designed work, and very difficult to handle. How did herehearse this performance?

Kwan:

I also want to know how he rehearsed. What Ying Liang said is worthy of
discussion. The director uses this format and sound to lead us along. Instead of
cutting from wide shot to close up, the director uses sound.

O:

I agree with what you said about the sound. Perhaps if the film uses 5.1 or 7.1
stereo, the feeling will be less intense. On a 4:3 screen, it is hard to separate thesound from the picture. The director could have used technology to enhance thesound and improve it, perhaps redesign it. The content seems to be nothing special
and the picture is still, and so the audience has no choice but to listen to the sound,
yet it does not flow.

Kwan:

If there is no content and the dialogue is like this, the director should have used an
open way to handle it. It is not necessary for us to understand every line of
dialogue. Audiences can have choices, but now they are being restricted.

Chong and Chow: I agree.
Kwan:

This form is fine if the director does not control us and force us to follow along andwatch. The problem is the division of scenes, which is not the best. I shouldn’t
have to follow along this way. If you open things up, the audience can follow on
their own.

Fan:

The next film is Out of Sound.

Ying:

I have written comments for this film, and my views haven’t changed. There issomething wrong with the premise. Calling a sex line is not something we see
today. The drama uses this as the main focus, and the concept is very good, likewith the role play and the child pretending to be an adult, but the part about theoperator showing concern for the child just appears briefly before dropping off.
The overall effect is very one-sided and not too ideal. Some points are interesting,8

such as the appearance of the old woman on a rainy night, but what is the meaningof this image? The director fails to develop it.
O:

Watching it a second time, the film is still interesting. The main character is a very
lonely child. He is lonely, loses his temper and throws a toy out of the window.
The characters of the young lady (the operator) is well written and effective. I
wonder if it is better if we don’t see the face of Yoyo (the operator) at the end, butof course, that’s just a small problem. Is it necessary for the father to beat the childat the end?

Kwan:

The whole film is about loneliness. The child is lonely. Yoyo should have known
that he is a child but does not let on. If the director had dug deeper, these characters
may be more moving, but the director fails to provide many details.

Chong:

This story is too strong but not very convincing. The Christmas lights and thesingle father taking care of the child is too fantastic. But what if the fantasy istaken one step further? Right now, the story seems not believable and hard to get
into.

Chow:

I guess he wants to talk more about the reasons behind the child's loneliness. For
example, when the father comes back to beat him at the end, it is perhaps because
he works as a chef in a western restaurant, and it is normal for him to be busy
during Christmas. Perhaps he has had a rough day and he gets a complaint about
throwing out objects from his window, so he hits the child. This is very revealing
and testifies to the relationship between father and son. But why does the child
impersonate his father when talking to the woman? To some extent he is
projecting, but that is not so obvious. I feel touched that the child has to resort tosuch a phone call, and connects with Yoyo who is willing to listen to him, and eveninvites her to a show. When watching the film on big screen, the pathos isheightened and I nearly cried.

Fan:

The next film is Family Family Day.

Kwan:

Is that his own family in the film?

O:

Yes, this is not a drama but a documentary, made after the director’s grandma
passed away. I guess the director did not start out with a plan, but just wanted torecord and put those records together. It is more moving than a long drama. The
texture and reality of this film is not readily achievable; many elements have tocome together.

Kwan:

Are you sure this is a documentary? But I didn't think of the film as a documentarybecause the spacing is not like a documentary.

O:

According to my understanding, the spacing is not achieved by blocking, butsomething that happens naturally. The effect is very powerful.

9Chong:I also tend to think that it is a documentary. The director is very powerful, able tocontrol the tension well. It is dramatic yet real at the same time, and the director’s
technique is good.

Ying:

I know a lot about the director’s background. He is a student at a documentary
workshop. Two of his works are among the finalists. He also made TurnOff_Turn-On. That’s the way his mind works. He had tried making dramas, but
the process was very painful for him, but the end result followed his original
intentions, which was not the conventional way of telling stories. He edited many
versions, and considers this one to be the ideal length. He also has a two-hourversion as well as a version that is a few minutes long. I think this version is themost appropriate. His father had asked him to make a video for the family record.
He had no purpose at the start, but merely filmed every day and edited a film out of
the materials he shot.

Kwan:

Only he is able to make such choices.

Ying:

He studied documentary at Visible Record, and his homework was also
experimental, similar to this style and direction. He also has other specialties suchas dancing and painting, and the main dancer in the other film, Turn-Off_Turn-On
is his younger brother, a professional dancer.

Fan:

The next film is Turn-Off_Turn-On.

O:

To me, the significance of this work is independence. Young directors are more
inclined to a certain style, such as drama or narrative. They should explore
different types of independent films, like experimental films. Young people growup on conventional dramas, but they should not just stick to certain types of films.
This film is interesting in that it tries to separate sound and image and image fromtext, allowing the audience to focus not only on the drama but they are given thespace to think.

Kwan:

The director only reveals the sound and subtitles in the last third of the film, and it
would be better if he could do so earlier.

O:

Perhaps he wants to go step by step and is worried about going too fast. Maybe hecould have done so earlier as you said, but he chooses to do so step by step.

Fan:

The next work is My World.

Kwan:

I think the characters’ dialogue is appropriate. For example, the Yam character isvery informative. This kind of logic is very youthful and I find it interesting.

O:

The protagonists are very distinctive and the dialogue is very good. They are able
to convey emotions well and are very interesting. From the beginning to the end,
the director is able to convey character relationships, gender and identity in an
inspired manner. I don't know if the director himself is very interested in this topic,
or he is very experienced and skilful.
10Kwan:The energy level of this entire work is very powerful.

O:

Yes, every scene is powerful in the portrayal of relationships between men andwomen, patriarchy and feminism, etc.

Kwan:

This film is also humorous. busydoingnothing also depicts a humorous topic, but
the execution of this film is better. The director has a way of making all theelements and actors fit in together.

O:

The material is very rich.

Chow:

I don't have strong feelings about this film. As Kwan said, like busydoingnothing,
this film also has a sense of humour, however, this film is at another extreme. The
humour is there, but it seems to highlight the arrogance of the director. I have afeeling of being offended as an audience member. I feel that he is challenging theaudience and arrogantly telling them that he can do these things. This is my feelingas a viewer. I don't know this director. I know that he has done some good works
before, but with this film, I got a strange feeling.

Kwan:

My feelings are very different from yours. When you said you were offended, I
think it has to do with the Yam character and his sister, which contrasts with themain character. The director wants to talk about gender and power. I think he has
no boundaries.

Chow:

I have no problems with the gender part.

Kwan:

Does bringing out this information offend you? He is presenting a character.

O:

From the perspective of the director, I am very interested in the topic he talks
about. Through this kind of depiction, you can see that he is confident, even overconfident. For him, this issue is familiar to him, and I dare not say if he is being
calculated. Since he is familiar with these topics, why shouldn’t he present what heis interested in and show the world? He handles these things very well, and many
parts are very mature.

Chong:

He is calculated, very much so, and he is clever. This is not my favourite film, but
it is among the top three or four. I think he is very interesting and knows how toplay the game, and does it with a certain energy level, as Kwan said, and captures
the youthful world. But the arrogance you just mentioned may be a kind ofyouthful arrogance, or because he knows how to play this game, he feels free. Thisis an interesting film.

Kwan:

Be youthful while you are young.

Chong:

When applied it to this topic, I think it is acceptable.

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Ying:We are probably not prepared to see a "youth film" on the big screen while feelinga strong sense of elitism. However, I didn't feel uncomfortable, especially seeing iton the big screen. The director has many skills and his knowledge and background
may be different from many young directors. He has his own style and has his own
unique knowledge base. I have also seen his previous short films, which are notlike this. They are very realistic, a bit like The Bridge. This film is different andrather attractive.

Chong:

I also admire the dialogue. Sometimes you can carefully craft a script but the result
may not be good.

O:

His skill is good.

Fan:

Next, do you have any nominations or favourites? Each person can select threeworks you like the most for discussion, or directly nominate the winning works.
Unless we have to, we don’t vote. Instead, I hope we can reach consensus throughdiscussion.

Kwan:

Should we first nominate three works?

O:

Can we choose four?

Fan:Yes, there are no restrictions on nominations. First, let us narrow down the choices
to works that you like and consider worth discussing.

Chong:

I nominate The Umbrella, Family Family Day, Be a Rider or a Fool and My
World.

Chow:

Be a Rider or a Fool, The Umbrella, Out of Sound and The Bridge.

Kwan:

Family Family Day, My World , The Umbrella and Be a Rider or a Fool.

O:

The Umbrella, Family Family Day, busydoingnothing and My World.

Ying:

Family Family Day, My World and The Umbrella. Just these three.

Fan:

You can narrow the discussion first. Right now, most people picked The Umbrella,with 5 votes, even though that does not necessarily mean it automatically getsGold. Family Family Day and My World received the second largest number ofvotes with 4 votes each. Three people picked Be a Rider or a Fool, while The
Bridge, busydoingnothing and Out of Sound each got one vote. We can eliminate
those that received no votes, including Home Change, Silent City and TurnOff_Turn-On.

O:

We can return to these works when we discuss Special Mention, which does nothave to go to works that are generally excellent, but because we want to recognize
particular aspects.

12Ying:

I agree, we can then further explain which aspects of the works we wish tohighlight.

Fan:

I would recommend limiting the discussion to the three works that received themost votes. Perhaps you already have Gold and Silver Awards in mind or are stillundecided.

Chow:

Can we give The Umbrella the Gold Award? In the first round, all the jury
members chose it, and now it received 5 votes.

Fan:

Five people chose this work, but do you think this is the best work?

Kwan:

I personally think that The Umbrella does not deserve Gold.

Ying:

The Umbrella is not my choice for Gold, I chose it in the first round because it
deserves to be a finalist.

O:

Yes, we did not really discuss this in the first round, we merely think that it should
be short-listed and left for discussion in this round.

Fan:

Can you seek support for your favourite works?

O:

It is difficult for me to choose, for I like all three. I like works with no plans. Whatis independent for me, and how to judge it? Is independent distinct fromcommercial considerations and daring to be creative? If this is the case, I choose
Family Family Day.

Kwan:

I think Gold belongs either to Family Family Day or My World. The directors ofboth works choose to face themselves with honesty. Family Family Day is notwithout plan, and documentary productions always involve choices which people
make in the editing phase. My World is all out in the open in expressing itself andis more mature than Family Family Day.

O:

By “plan” I mean starting off with no script.

Kwan:

Editing is also a creative process.

O:

I understand that editing is a third-step creation. The whole film started off withrecording everything without knowing what will happen next. Both films areinteresting. One involves planning everything in one’s head and knowing what one
wants with every scene. That’s what I meant by planning. It is knowing what you
want and choosing a way of production, whereas documentaries are tearing open
the most authentic side of things and presenting one’s own pain.

Kwan:

I am inclined to believe that the original intention of Family Family Day’s director
is not just going out and film when his father tells him to.

O:

Both works are true to themselves, that’s why they are moving and powerful.
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Kwan:

If you have nothing else to add, can O Sing Pui and I nominate our choice for
Gold?

O:

Let's discuss the Gold Award first before moving on to Silver.

Chong:

I don't know how judge the meaning behind independent films, I can only say what
I like. I choose The Umbrella over My World and Family Family Day because I
have not seen the former’s subject matter, whereas I have seen subject matterssimilar to the latter but not quite the same. I admire the method used in The
Umbrella to capture things that are difficult to explain, but at the same time tell of
relationships typical of Hong Kong. I also like the other two films, but I choose
The Umbrella.

Chow:

My choice is very different. The starting point of Family Family Day is a family
video, and then selecting footage from it in the process of creation. I can accept
that. As I mentioned in the first round, the whole process surrounds a family
problem, however, it does not show their love for the grandma but rather highlights
the situation and quality of Chinese people. I accept Ying Liang’s explanation that
there is happenstance involved, but whether he planned things from the start has
nothing to do with independence. He edited this film out of hundreds of home
videos, and I appreciate the creativity behind his efforts. But for me, the work has
not reached the level of the Gold or Silver award. As for My World, it is not mychoice because I can't accept it. He is very loyal to himself, but does that mean heis avant-garde? I don't think so. Nowadays, many people also have this kind of
thinking. He is loyal to himself. He is also arrogant. How can a person express his
own values? I don't think one needs to stand on a high pedestal. I appreciate people
who are smart but still have a sense of modesty. I do not appreciate his arrogance,
it’s not that he is not good, but this director's approach gives me this feeling. He isvery capable. The cinematography, colour, technique and various things are veryrich. He wants to show that he is good, but I don't appreciate this expression andattitude. If he won Gold or Silver, I would be a little uncomfortable, but I will
respect this result.

Fan:

What is your choice for Gold?

Chow:

The Umbrella and Be a Rider or a Fool.

Ying:

I think that The Umbrella is also very strong. His technique is subtle, yet there issomething brilliant about it. My World is more consistent, the presentation and thethinking behind it are the same, and I find that attractive. I didn’t pick Be a Rider
or a Fool, and my discussion has focused on the other three, but if I had to select afourth, I would choose it. This feels more like an independent film. Family Family
Day also has independent spirit because it feels hand-crafted and does not needhelp from others, there is no repetition and no one can replace or imitate it. Fromthe perspective of awards, I can't say whether I prefer Family Family Day or My
World, and it is more difficult to judge which one is more independent. Perhaps it
is more important to encourage Family Family Day because it is not part of thefilm industry and the director needs room to grow and needs encouragement. The
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director of My World has already entered the film industry, so he should simply
receive due appreciation.
Fan:

Now you have three films nominated for Gold Award: Family Family Day, My
World and Be a Rider or a Fool.

Kwan:

Why don’t I tell you my choices for Gold, Silver and Special Mention?

All:

Ok.

Kwan:

Gold is Family Family Day, Silver is My World and Be a Rider or a Fool isSpecial Mention.

Ying:

My choices are exactly the same.

Fan:

Family Family Day received three votes for Gold; are there any objections? If not,we can discuss the Silver Award. At the moment, there are two nominations for theSilver Award.

Chong:

If Family Family Day is Gold, then I want to nominate The Umbrella for SilverAward.

Chow:

I concur.

Fan:

O Sing Pui holds the deciding vote. Kwan and Ying chose My World, Chong andChow chose The Umbrella.

Kwan:

Both Ying Liang and I agree that The Umbrella is too deliberate. Although we said
that this is his only way, the sound does not open up the work to allow audiences tofeel it.

O:

I like them both, I can't decide right away. I listened to the opinions of other jury
members. If you apply conventional script analysis to The Umbrella, the story
behind it is not good. What makes the film so powerful is that it is able to reflect
the whole society, politics and young people, and portrays a social tragedy in theend. My World is very personal. If you consider a film and its relations to society, I
would say the technique of The Umbrella is good, but the technique of My Worldis superior to The Umbrella.

Kwan:

I want to add something. If you say The Umbrella talks about Hong Kong society,I feel that Hong Kong people bring their own emotions into the mix when looking
at the Umbrella Movement and student protests. For example, Weeds on Fire is ayouth film about baseball, but it includes images of the Umbrella Movement tobring out its relationship with Hong Kong society. As viewers, when we see
Umbrella Movement and student protests, our judgement may not be calm andobjective.

15

Chong:When viewing that film, I watched myself for signs of that. Do I think the film isgood because it is about the Umbrella Movement? I try to be objective about it. I
don't think the film is just about that. To take Weeds on Fire as an example, thatfilm has a certain political position which I was able to deduce. What is good about
The Umbrella is that it captured this society, but not in an exaggerated way. It
does not exploit its political position because I don’t feel that it favours either side.

Chow:

I don't think the film exploits politics. You mentioned the juror’s position. This
competition has prize money, so which film do we want to encourage? That’s theangle we should consider.

Chong:

When we discussed Family Family Day, we liked it because the film is notplanned or designed. For Silver Award, both My World and The Umbrella are veryplanned and clever. The Umbrella achieved it without spending a lot of money orresources.

Kwan:

I don't think that My World is as calculated as you mentioned. The director is justmature enough to master his skills and film a subject he likes.

Chow:

I feel that if you look at independent or experimental spirit, The Umbrella isplanned in an interesting way, while My World is more skilled. To me, The
Umbrella is more independent and experimental. You (Kwan) said that using
sound to guide the audience is not very open, but if you view it as a stage play, I
think it’s ok. With a 4:3 screen, I doubt if the audience can really hear thosesounds.

Ying:

The audience can feel the humour in My World. Even though the acting is notparticularly good, the actors, under the director’s guidance, are able to act
spontaneously and not according to plan. This director is relatively mature andknows how to deal with actors and sets, etc., and has his own space and flexibility.
In contrast, The Umbrella is more complete and follows the original blueprint andhow each step should go. Although the structure of My World is very detailed,there must be a lot of unplanned moments which you can pick out as you watch.
As a film, My World is a stronger work.

O:

If I have to choose, I would consider the director. The Umbrella uses one shot todetermine everything, which is a good choice, but I don’t know if the director
considered other options. The director of My World is confident in his skills andshowed many inspired touches, which is apparent in the power of its editing, music
and rhythm. The Umbrella portrays this era, which is interesting. Should I choose
to honour a record of an era or a director? I think the director of My World releases
and accepts himself with this film. In the end, I decide on My World, which is adifficult decision.

Chong:

If there is a bronze medal, I want to lobby for The Umbrella.

O:

Yes, it’s difficult to choose among the three. Is it possible to have two Gold awards?

16

Fan:

Yes, it’s possible, but what are your choices? Usually, if we have two Golds, thenwe omit Silver but still have Special Mention. Or we can omit Gold, but that sends
out a strong signal that the quality of this year’s works is not up to standard, and we
can award two Silver awards. As for having one Gold and two Silver, that has never
happened.

O:

It depends on how everyone thinks.

Kwan:

I would like to add that Jun Li (director of My World) took part in Fresh Wave andhis film was noticed by Shu Kei and got the opportunity to direct Tracey. It can be
expected that this director will continue to develop his career in the mainstream film
industry. As we have just discussed, he is already in this industry, so should we
encourage him further? My view is that I am willing to believe in this director, andeven if he has entered the mainstream film industry, I still want to encourage him toshoot his own films, and this is also a kind of encouragement.

O:

I don't care if he is in the mainstream film industry, I just look at the present film. I
just want to see if you concur with my choice, because it’s a very difficult choice for
me.

Kwan:

I have a hard time agreeing. For me, the Gold and Silver Awards are Family
Family Day and My World, respectively. For Special Mention, I choose Be a
Rider or a Fool. I can't accept The Umbrella and My World both getting Silver
awards.

Fan:

If there are no changes, shall we go on to discuss Special Mention?

Chong:For me, Special Mention are either Be a Rider or a Fool or The Umbrella. Special
Mention is not the same as third place, right?

Fan:

From our perspective, this award is given to a work that has some qualities thatdeserve to be honored, whether the work as a whole or in certain parts. Of course,
some jury panels treat this as the Bronze Award, and I respect your choices.

Ying:

Can there be two Special Mentions?

Fan:

Yes.

Chong:

If there are two, which two will you choose?

Ying:

Same as you.

Chow:

If there are two, I also choose these two.

All:

I agree.

17

The 24th ifva Awards - Open Category Award Winners
Gold Award
Family Family Day
Lee Wai-shing

Silver Award
My World
Jun Li

Special Mention
The Umbrella
Tsang Hing-weng Eric

Be a Rider or a Fool
Law Wai-leung18