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Ann Hui: At the World's End and Back

With the duel tales of Night and Fog, this year's HKIFF Opening Gala, and The Way We Are, which was shown in HKIFF last year, director Ann Hui has vigorously returned to the sensitive sociopolitical issues that have previously brought her acclaim. This time, the subject is the town of Tin Shui Wai. Raymond Phathanavirangoon sits down with the director to talk about the films.

How did you come across this story about the murder-suicide in Tin Shui Wai? Was it from the news?

I think it was in 2004 when I was talking with my scriptwriter about what project to do next. And then we both read about this story in April 2004. Both of us were very shocked by it. So we wanted to go to Tin Shui Wai and interview some people about what happened – why something like this could happen. So we went there and spent the whole summer interviewing people. We interviewed the neighbours, including the head of the women's aerobics class, the district councilor….the police and the social worker refused to see us – maybe they were busy. But we saw other social workers and they talked to us about the case and took us to Tin Shui Wai to introduce us to immigrant housewives from China – they were all very friendly and very helpful. We also shot some of the footage, thinking that we might make it into a documentary, but then later I decided to do a feature, because there were so many gaps since a lot of people who we should interview wouldn't see us.

But then we were fortunate because we met the deceased woman's father and mother, who came to their daughter's funeral in Shenzhen. So we went to Szechuan in September and visited their farmhouse there, and then we decided to write the script. We finished a very detailed outline of the script by December, and then the next year we took the project to HAF (the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum).

What was the reaction like from the investors?

Initially though, we didn't manage to get any investors, because they thought that the story was too local. So I tried to look for money all through 2005 but couldn't manage to do so. I was thinking then of doing it with a very low-budget, so that means I wouldn't be able to afford seasoned actors. For the film I needed a cast – good actors at least but not a named cast, otherwise I'd be afraid for the investors as well.

So we left it alone and then I left to shoot The Postmodern Life of My Aunt (2006). When I came back, I managed to find the money [for the project], but in the middle of the production the investor's company had doubts again, telling me that the subject was maybe too depressing. So they stopped. And I was hanging in mid-air with a crew and half the production ready. I was thinking about what to do, then suddenly I had an idea – I know already so much about the locations in Tin Shui Wai, and I have this script [The Way We Are (2008)] from seven years ago which I wanted to shoot anyways, which could very well be moved to Tin Shui Wai through my knowledge of the location and the people's way of life. Things happened very quickly because I went to see Wong Jing to talk about possibly working together. I thought I should do a DV movie on that particular subject, and he immediately agreed. And when we discussed it, it was in August, and in September there is the Mid-Autumn Festival. So we must start and include the festival dates as part of our schedule. We were very lucky. And I also thought that it was much fairer to show another side of Tin Shui Wai [apart from the murder-suicide] – it’s better for my own defense if I do get attacked for putting the blame on the people of Tin Shui Wai. Now there’s two sides for every story, so I’m very glad I made both.

There have been a lot of discussions about your “return” to socially relevant topics. Is this in some ways a new direction for you?

I've always been interested in such topics; it's just that I don't often get them made because the investors are not interested in these kinds of stories. I had been looking for money from all over the world, actually, for Ordinary Heroes (1999) for seven years! And finally it was invested by a friend. I'm not a very good seller [to investors] of my own stories – maybe I'm too honest. Most of it is based on a hunch or a feeling, it's very meaningful to myself, but I can't say it's objectively meaningful to everyone else. They could read the newspaper or watch TV and have the same story, so why should they watch my versions? I've always spoken about the truth. Since the Below the Lion Rock days I've been constantly preoccupied about how to do realistic drama without repeating Below the Lion Rock. Not that Below the Lion Rock wasn't good – it was so good that people may not necessarily pay to watch something like it in the theatres. So I think that kind of struggle finally gelled with The Way We Are. Instead of adding more things, I sort of subtracted. There was also a new angle to it – a new feeling from the realistic details – so people find it interesting and talk about it. And if people talk about it then it's ok [laughs]. Because people will want to go and watch it.

A lot of people know Wong Jing as a very commercial producer and director, so I'm sure some will be surprised to learn that he invested in these two films. What kind of support has he been giving you?

It's not because the results are good that I applaud him. He's very down-to-earth, and he expresses himself in a way which is direct. And he respects you. He gives very sensible and professional advice – everything he says is to the point. I never talk to him more than 15 minutes, and everything is discussed. I mean, he watches the movies, and he does everything a good producer would do. I think he’s supportive. I really appreciate all his help, apart from helping me with the investment.

What are you working on next?

I'm working on my first play. And once I finish this play then I hope I can start on my next movie. We'll see what happens. The play is called The Golden Cangue by Eileen Chang. Last year, they said it would start in March, so everything is coming together this month! We have rehearsals for a month, and then it's on. I feel quite anxious about it, and I shouldn't be, but all my friends wants to see it! [laughs].