Hong Kong filmmaking stalwart Johnnie To Kei Fung says he is in the middle of making a feature film starring popstar Anson Lo, and has shot 10 days across the last three years.
Speaking to Screen ahead of his masterclass at the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra lab, To said the film has been shooting in Hong Kong, and is about “hope”.
Lo was spotted shooting with To in March last year. To told Screen that the cast also includes “an old actress, and a young girl”, that the feature will be ready “as soon as possible” and that he will decide on a title once it is finished.
The filmmaker is also preparing a second project, a gangster feature that he hopes will star Tony Leung Chiu-wai. To has had discussions with Leung about the film, with no contracts yet signed. “I hope I can get together with him to make one movie – before he retires, or I retire,” said To, who added that he hopes to shoot that project in Japan.
To is “hopeful” and “optimistic” he will have a chance to make the third part of his Election crime trilogy, after 2005’s Election - which played in Competition at Cannes - and 2006’s Election 2. As per his frequent method of working, he has no script for the film, but said he has “many ideas”.
“Now is not good timing,” said To. “If I have chance to make it, I will make it.” It would require that “things change” in Hong Kong, but the film could only be made there, the director said. “If not in Hong Kong, Election 3 would have no value.” To said he would one day like to make a film in Europe, “but not now”.
To also commented on the struggles of Hong Kong films to export to international territories, both in Asia and beyond. “Maybe the market changed,” said To. “10 years ago, we could sell to Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand. Some could go to Europe, South America. But now they have no market.” He believes this is partly due to a rise in OTT services, taking market space away from Hong Kong feature films.
However he refrained from laying blame at the feet of the streaming platforms, saying only that they represent “change”.
The Hong Kong filmmaker also expressed his support for US president Donald Trump, who introduced unprecedented global tariffs on exports to the US last week. “I’m the one who supports Donald Trump,” said To, after Hong Kong stocks experienced their biggest drop since 1997 after Trump’s announcement. “America is too left-wing, just like before. No more American ideas,” added the filmmaker, describing the tariffs as “reasonable.”
The Qumra masterclass programme continues tomorrow (April 8) with Mexican costume designer Anna Terrazas, before To gives his own masterclass on Wednesday 9.
No comments yet