Big Screen Manchester plays host to the first of two specially curated programmes marking the passing of a decade since Hong Kong’s handover to China, by screening a magical array of Hong Kong animation interdespersed with out of date / regional advertisement.
All selections pursue an individual style and content, imaginative, hopeful, nostalgic and critical. Works are not only a reflection of the reality of the past, but also imply a vision of the future.
The selection include:
9 – 29 June:
- Paper Child (2004), Dir: Cheng Pui Sze.
What is animation? When you flip over a stack of consecutive drawings, you have animation. Traditional Chinese revolving lams work on the same principle. When they revolve, the drawings on them become animation. This is a story about a paper cutting character Paper Child who has an adventure in the revolving lamp. Everything in the revolving lamp is 2-D paper cutting… and somehow, Paper Child becomes 3-D.
- Utopia (2004), Dir: Chan Wai May.
A character enters a pictorial world where he likes it so much, he asks what will happen next?
- Dearrabbit (2004), Dir: Mok Pui Yuk.
This animation chronicles the dark desperate journey of Dear Rabbit. He spurns the opportunity to live longer. - Very Fantastic (2001), Dir: So Man Yee.
Very Fantastic includes good ghosts and strange Hong Kong pre-war building references in a move to convey the importance of the preservation of Hong Kong’s own culture. - A mid-night story (2005), Dir: Antonio Wong Hoi-chung.
This story is about a conflict between a small pushcart and a big garbage truck. - The tired city (2005), Dir John Chan and Pam Hung.
- Mind Blossom (2006), Dir Winnie Choi Lai-Wan.
30 June – 13 July:
- Shanghai avant la pluie, Sookoon Ang, music by mondialito
- My good time, Welby Chung, music by Natural Q (Taipei)
- Travelling cities, Ernest Fung
- You can do anything, Poon Yick Sum, music by WEEKEND
- Climax MV – Rock my Planet, John Chan, music by Elphonso Lam
- Colour Scratch, CHENG Chi-shing, Philip LEE
With thanks to Tereza Kwong Independent Short Film & Video Awards, HKAC, The Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies of Hong Kong, and Ying Kwok, Curator Chinese Arts Centre Manchester. This programme will tour to Melbourne Australia, Federation Square.