Private Waves

Premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in 2025, High Wire is the striking debut feature from Hong Kong-born, UK-based director Calif Chong. Blending humour, emotion, and social realism, the film follows a young British-Chinese woman whose life working in her family’s takeaway is transformed when a travelling circus arrives in her rural town, opening the possibility of freedom, identity, and self-discovery.

A Girl Unknown returns to Cannes for its global premiere after its script won the Critics’ Week Next Step Prize in 2024. A Chinese-French co-production, it is Zou’s newest work after her short Lili Alone《朵丽》screened at Critics’ Week 2021. A Girl Unknown depicts a young Chinese woman from the age of six through to her thirties, living in three different families.

A Girl Unknown returns to Cannes for its global premiere after its script won the Critics’ Week Next Step Prize in 2024. A Chinese-French co-production, it is Zou’s newest work after her short Lili Alone《朵丽》screened at Critics’ Week 2021. A Girl Unknown depicts a young Chinese woman from the age of six through to her thirties, living in three different families.

The recent release of Bi Gan’s third feature provides the opportunity to revisit his previous works and career so far. This retrospective is not intended to be an in-depth review of any singular work and is instead focussed on exploring common themes that have come to define Bi’s signature style. This retrospective will engage with a range of works, encompassing early shorts and Bi’s recent features, culminating with a short look at his most recent release Resurrection.

Blades of the Guardians is currently screening across China, having already amassed over $200 million at the domestic box office. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5. No Spoilers Yuen Woo-Ping’s career in film is a remarkable testament to someone who is able to pull off the ‘style is substance’ mode of filmmaking, and that, across 5 decades of endless change.

The 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF50) honoured Jia Zhangke as its Filmmaker in Focus for the Golden Jubilee. Renowned for his distinctive realist aesthetics, Jia is a key figure of China’s celebrated “Sixth Generation” of filmmakers. His work explores themes of dislocation and identity while reflecting China’s societal changes over recent decades.

We’re Nothing At All, directed by Herman Yau, makes its world premiere at the 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival. Blending queer romance with crime thriller elements, the film represents a relatively fresh and unexpected turn within Yau’s prolific filmography. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3.5 out of 5. Spoilers Included The film opens with a shocking act of violence: a bus explosion in the city centre on Valentine’s Day 2025 that leaves 17 passengers dead.

1 April 2026 (Hong Kong) —The 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF50) officially opened this evening with the Asian premiere of Anthony Chen’s We Are All Strangers at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, marking the start of a 12-day celebration of world cinema. The opening ceremony was officiated by Dr Wilfred Wong, Chairman of the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society (HKIFFS), and Ms Vivian Sum, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism.

As the third instalment in Singaporean director Anthony Chen’s “Growing Up Trilogy,” We Are All Strangers arrives with considerable prestige. It opened the 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival and marks its Asian premiere following its selection in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival—the first Singaporean film to vie for the Golden Bear. ⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5.

The 69th BFI London Film Festival (8th-19th October) in partnership with American Express is thrilled to reveal the filmmakers participating in this year’s programme of Screen Talks.