To, accredited for inspiring the “new dynamism” in Hong Kong cinema by critic Stephen Teo, is well known for his early 90s kick flicks The Heroic Trio and Executioners, but has displayed a wider range in recent years. Four of To’s best will screen at the festival: award-winning Triad tale The Mission; the romantic comedy Needing You…, starring Cantopop idols Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng; crime thriller Running Out of Time; and costume drama Wu Yen.
Other highlights of the Festival include Wilson Yip’s offbeat romance Juliet in Love, Ann Hui’s spooky ghost story Visible Secret, and Stanley Kwan’s gay romantic tale Lan Yu. The Hong Kong Film Festival will be open in Sydney from September 25 to October 2 and then tour Melbourne from October 4-9 and Brisbane from October 12-16.
