CW Chu College The Chinese University of Hong Kong eNewsletter

Mr Peter Ho-Sun Chan, one of the world's leading Chinese filmmakers, graced us with his presence as the Guest of Honour at the College's Third High Table Dinner (2015–16) held on 20 January 2016. Students welcomed and greeted the distinguished guest as he marched in along tables lit with candles, accompanied by Ms Sandra Ng, famous local actress.

Prof Kenneth Young, College Master, introduced Mr Chan and related his highly-regarded career in the film industry spanning two decades, with movie titles that still sound fresh, as well as his contributions to nurturing the next generation of film talents through a number of different organizations.

Mr Chan shared his own upbringing, his personal encounters, his views on diversity and ideas on his movies. The interactive sharing was facilitated by Prof Thomas Au, College Dean of Students.

Full of cheer, Mr Chan greeted our students with delight, likening the dining hall to that in a Harry Potter movie. Reflecting on his upbringing, Mr Chan recounted how his sense of being insecure — travelling across countries and being at the fringe of different communities — has taught him to observe his surroundings in earnest, which is the key to his movie-making. He explained how movies tell us about different places and how the world becomes smaller through movies rooted in cultures, a diversity in which the audience can share. He related how going to movies every day or every other day let him see the world, as if he was visiting many places, even when people avoided travelling during the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Explaining how all his movies contain this very concept of 'diversity', Mr Chan found it difficult at first when asked to name just one work most suitable for a student population of diversified backgrounds. He mentioned Comrades: Almost a Love Story (1996), since it is about the protagonists adapting to different cultures, but noted that other titles were just as much about diversity — a condition exemplified by his own life: moving from Hong Kong to Thailand, then to the United States, and finally returning to Hong Kong, a condition that continues to keep him 'on his toes' and to remind him to work harder and be observant.

The discussion on diversity smoothly landed on the context of Hong Kong, when Mr Chan challenged the audience on what a 'Hongkonger' means, since any holder of a HKID card would be no different as a 'Hongkonger' from someone who will acquire that a few years from now. Rather, he emphasized the 'Hong Kong experience' that people of the city share no matter where they came from and how long they have stayed; this diversity, he said, 'represents Hong Kong in the past, it represents Hong Kong today [and] it should also represent Hong Kong in the future'.

Mr Chan also spoke briefly about a forthcoming film on Li Na, and how he sees it as a window to the changing mentality and landscape in China, and to the tension between the collective and the individual in modernity.

Mr Chan's insights into movies and understanding of diversity in Hong Kong and beyond left the audience with important food for thought. During the Q&A session, Miss Mary Fung, Year 4 student, expressed her gratitude to Mr Chan for the movie, Dearest (2014)*. She shared how moved she was by the plot, not least because it was based on true accounts, and also because of its depiction of reality without resorting to a fairytale-like happily-ever-after ending. She was deeply touched by the romance in the film as well.

(* The College had organized a movie night for the film, Dearest, one week before this High Table Dinner. Details can be found after this article.)

Towards the end of the dinner, Mr Chan presented the prizes for a photography competition organized by the College. The winners in the College students' category were Mr David Cheng and Mr Justin Cheng, both Year 2 students. The winner in the open category was Mr Michael Law.

For more photos of the night, please visit the College Facebook photo album at THIS LINK.

Movie Night: Dearest

On 14 January 2016, the College organized a movie night to screen the film, Dearest (2014), directed by Mr Peter Ho-Sun Chan, attracting local, non-local and incoming exchange students. Prof Thomas Au, College Dean of Students, hosted a post-screening sharing session for participants, who were all touched by the story. They discussed the film's depiction of child kidnapping in China and the memorable scenes.