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As much as Hongkongers may have a reputation for being a bit curt and not too friendly off-the-bat, we have proven time and again that we are a people with great collective resilience whose collaborative spirit can be sparked up easily. This psyche can obviously be seen in our movies – after all, Hong Kong is the creative capital behind the entire heroic bloodshed film genre.
Tai Kwun pays tribute to the social value of camaraderie and having brothers-in-arms with its newest summer exhibition ‘Better Together – Partnering Up for Hong Kong Movies’, which celebrates the ethos of paak zyu soeng (拍住上) – a Cantonese phrase for team spirit which evokes the image of partnering up with arms around shoulders – as seen in several decades of filmmaking since the 60s.
Some of the films featured in the exhibition include The Black Rose (1965), Aces Go Places (1982), Once a Thief (1991), Police Story 3 – Super Cop (1992), Blind Detective (2013), and more. Whether examining Hong Kong’s rich-poor divide and the quest for a just and fair society, cultural integration within a growing metropolis, the search for new identities in a changing world, or the struggle between loyalty and individual benefit, these movies all reflect Hong Kong’s societal changes over the years, as well as the citizens’ collective resilience and team spirit.
Among the immersive recreations of iconic scenes from eight films and sequels, visitors can expect to walk through the famous upside-down heist scene from Once a Thief starring Chow Yun-fat; contrast two robotic figures from Aces Go Places 2 and Gen-Y Cops; and an iconic stunt action sequence involving a helicopter, motorbike, and gold bars from Police Story 3 – Super Cop. There will also be props from various Hong Kong action films on display, as well as video interviews with Hong Kong film bigwigs on legendary screen partnerships, including Sam Hui, Aaron Kwok, Gordon Lam, Richie Jen, Albert Mak, Louis Koo, Sammi Cheng, and more artists.
If you’re a fan of Hong Kong cinema, this exhibition is a must-visit. ‘Better Together’ runs from June 23 to October 4 in the Duplex Studio of Tai Kwun’s Police Headquarters Block. Tickets are available online at $30, with concessions available, as well as a buy-one-get-one-free offer for TK Fans until July 1.
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