Ann Hui talks about her Hong Kong at Lingnan University

View video shots of the event 
Vieo sharing session (in Cantonese)

“We should follow the footsteps of Chinese creative workers like Lu Xun in the early twentieth century, and regain their passion and concern for social problems. Otherwise we will end up in nihilism or cynicism,” renowned film director Dr Ann Hui said as she shared her thoughts about Hong Kong, literature and film with more than 200 Lingnan students, staff and guests on 11 March.

However, Dr Hui cautioned that writers and filmmakers should not act like “teaching the reader and audience” in their works. “A film is not completed by the director, but the audience. It can inspire people to think and feel differently, way beyond the director’s awareness and imagination. All these feelings and meanings derived from the film add up to complete the creative process of filmmaking,” she said.

In the sharing session, one of the highlights of Lingnan Arts Festival 2014, Dr Hui discussed with event host Prof Mary Wong Shuk-han, Department of Chinese, about her Hong Kong on the four themes of urban and rural landscapes of Hong Kong, individual and politics, society and people’s livelihood, as well as film and literature.

Starting her career in the late 1970s, Dr Hui is an award-winning film director acclaimed for her delicate balance between commercial elements and humanistic concern as an intellectual. She was conferred the degree of Doctor of Humanities honoris causa by Lingnan University in 2012 in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Hong Kong’s film culture.

The diverse, month-long programme of Lingnan Arts Festival 2014 includes art exhibitions, Chinese, Western classical and jazz music performances, film screenings and seminars by renowned artists, writer-in-residence Su Tong and artist-in-residence Bellini Yu. For programme details and reservation, please visit: http://www.ln.edu.hk/arts/af2014/.