HONG KONG PERFORMING ARTISTES GUILD 香港演藝人協會 + "10" SHORTS

I noticed that several famous Hong Kong artists recently added on AnD (Andy Lau, Simon Yam, Eric Tsang, Philip Chan, Ray Lui, Franckie Chan, Cecilia Yip, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Lam Ka-tung, Teddy Robin Sammy Leung, John Sham, Cheung Tam-ming, Anthony Wong, Tiffany Lee etc.) were registered as members of the Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild (香港演藝人協會).

For those who don't know about the HKPAG yet, it's a non-profit organization formed in 1993 by several artists including Jackie Chan, Anita Mui, Eric Tsang etc... representing over 700 Hong Kong's film and television actors, actresses, singers, stage performers and dubbing artistes.

Cheung Tat-ming, directing Ten Steps Last year, during the Cannes Film Festival, I was promoting ten short movies for the HKPAG. Co-produced with Phoenix TV, they were made in 2006, for the 10th year anniversary of the broadcaster, by first-time directors. Those filmmakers were, of course, members of the HKPAG, but also established Hong Kong artists as performers - actors or singers - like Cecilia Yip, Chin Ka-lok, Danny Chan, Cheung Tat-ming etc...

Joe Koo, as Lam Ah-chung, in Glorious Ten The common point of the ten shorts movies is the number "10". Each director had to tell a story related to this number which has different meanings in the Hong Kong culture. The other thing asked by Phoenix TV was to make a short movie no longer than 3 minutes. But I know there're longer version of some them. For example, during the Legend of Bruce Lee French Promo, Danny Chan told me that the director's cut version of his short movie (a touching story between a father and his son) is about 20 minutes. I also know that the original length of the one directing by Chin Ka-lok is 10 minutes (which is logical considering the short movie's title).Here are the synopsis of those ten short movies ( I edited them a little bit, so there's no spoiler) :  

TEN MINUTES (十分鐘) Director / Writer : Ching Ka-lok. Cast : Chin Ka-lok, Ella Koon

Ella Koon & Chin Ka-lok in Ten Minutes (2006)

MARK TEN (十合彩). Director : Ronald Cheng. Writer : Ronald Cheng, Yip Lim-shum. Casting : Jason Cheung

Ronald Cheng's Mark Ten (2006) His father's answer was if he were to win, he would not die. (which means, he would be very wealthy. He is playing around with the sound of the "10" here.)  One time, the father nearly forgot to buy "mark 6".  As he rushed off to buy his lottery, he forgot to bring the paper with the 10 numbers on...

PERFECT WOMAN (我要). Director / Writer : Cecilia Yip. Casting : Farini Chang, Franco Leung

Farini Chang in Cecilia Yip's Perfect Woman (2006)

PICK UP (拾). Director / Writer : Victor Chui Tien-you. Cast : Victor Chui Tien-you.

Chu Tien-youn in Pick Up (2006) A young lad dressed sloppily runs out feverishly from a dead end alley.  For the first time embracing the glamorous city and breathing the moment of being.  Hysterically running under the neon light emanating from the gigantic signboard, people pass by without noticing. He leaves behind no trail except sweat and tears.  His dazzled gaze and chuckle reach the point of madness and spookiness...   

GORGEOUS TEN (十全十美). Director / Writer : Joe Koo. Cast : Joe Koo.

Joe Koo in Gorgeous Ten (Parody characters of Her Fatal Ways, Kung-Fu Hustle & God of Cookery)

CRANK IN TEN (十吓十吓). Director / Writer : Sam Lee. Cast : Sam Lee, Danny Chan, Jazz Lam

Danny Chan & Sam Lee in Crank In Ten (2006)    

TEN YEARS OLD BIRTHDAY (十年父子). Director / Writer : Danny Chan. Casting : Danny Chan, Lee Ting Fung

Danny Chan & Lee Ting-fung in Ten Years Old Birthday (2006) The father repeatedly tells his son that when he has money, he will definitely get him some.  When it comes to the day of his son's birthday, he was going to buy the drawing pen as a gift, but unfortunately, he gets into a really bad mood due to the discrimination from the Social Worker...

TEN STEPS (十級樓梯). Director / Writer : Cheung Tat-ming. Cast : Eugene Yip, Macy Chan

Cheung Tat-ming's Ten Steps(2006) Cheung Tat-ming's Ten Steps(2006) Middle was very disappointed about the situation and had asked PB to jump down from the ten-step staircase which was right outside his doorway in order to show his honesty and sincerity about their relationship. Otherwise, she would leave him.

PB looked sadly down the ten-step staircase, which reminded him strongly on how he was brought up in this place in the past 19 years.

TAKE 10. Director / Writer : Sammy Leung. Casting : Sammy Leung, Yan Ng.

Notes from the director : Sammy Leung in Take 10 (2006) In the opening scene, a Romeo like lover was shot, my objection to normality, to rescue him from his common dull life. Once he falls in blood, his new life starts. A life that everyone wants to experience but we can only have a sip in movie.

Bitter real world and movie like scenes merged in my story and director cut the boundaries with a shout "Cut"!

Life is such!

PHOENIX COMBATANTS CHAPTER TEN (鳳凰戰隊第十話). Director / Writer : Otto WONG. Casting : Otto, Eddie, Cato, Osman, Eric, Kate Yeung

Otto Wong's Phoenix Combatants Chapter Ten

Check out more pictures of those short movies in the "10" Hong Kong Shorts photo album.

Frédéric Ambroisine (Feb. 5th, 2008)