School of Journalism and Communication, the Chinese University of Hong Kong

Kuen is a lounge singer on Temple Street. Her son Kakei, now a university student, returns to Hong Kong for just a few days after emigrating to Canada with his father. Kuen's colleague Kit has to work overnight and enlists Kuen’s help to take care of her young son. During the sleepless night, Kuen and Ka-kei relive their past and envisage their future through another pair of mother and son. Under the bright sun, the cycle of life and family relationships continue, made all the more touching by the nuanced moments of care and concern between each other. SHAM Ka-ki of Weeds On Fire plays the son and renders a tender and layered performance full of subtlety.

Gun is a loan shark. Having worked hard for years, i.e. intimidating and threatening his debtors, he musters just enough money to purchase a house for the family. The plan is at risk, however, when one of his debtors dies and Gun discovers that he is not the only creditor. Out of desperation, he asks for his daughter’s help, who is unwilling to be involved in her father’s shady business. The simmering tension causes a rift in the family.

Two girls fantasize about making a declaration to the world. Youth is overrated. Depression, cynicism, rebellion. Poetic, and beautiful. How caricatured. Like how everything sounds better in French, even if it’s merely Google Translated. So we are here, to destroy the camouflage. Back to our reckless but satisfied souls and bodies. Ephwaipi, a homophone of ‘FYP’ (Final Year Project) is the debut short of Kitty Yeung and Candice Ng. The film, which also acted as their graduate thesis film, is the manifesto of two teenage girls about gender, romance and labour exploitation. Together, they seek to declare freedom from their teachers, lovers, bosses, and the most notorious villain of all — social norms.