IFFAM | Homosexuality not anymore a taboo matter, says director

Gigi Leung (left) and Tracy Choi

The only film produced by a local team that entered the competition at the International Film Festival & Awards – Macao (IFFAM) was screened yesterday at the Cultural Center, subtly portraying a controversial kind of love.

“Sisterhood” is a 97-minute film directed by Macau filmmaker Tracy Choi. The movie is her feature directorial debut.

Set to be distributed in 2017, the film tells the story of four best friends who work at a massage parlor.

Seiya, portrayed by Hong Kong actresses Fish Liew and Gigi Leung, developed a strong bond of friendship with Kay, a role depicted by Jennifer Yu.

The duo work together as masseuses in Macau during the ‘90s when the small city was not yet a conglomerate of casinos.

As the date of the region’s handover neared, the two inseparable friends part ways and later on, Seiya realizes the kind of love they had for each other.

In a conference held yesterday at the Cultural Center, the Macau director told the press that the story came to her several years ago, noting that some of the scenes in the movie depicted real occurrences in the region some 15 years ago.

It is hoped that “Sisterhood,” which has a budget of approximately HKD5 million, will be screened outside Hong Kong and Macau. Choi hoped that the movie would also be screened in Taiwan, as the territory has been discussing issues around same-sex marriage.

“We’re trying to now maybe join some festivals in Europe or other places,” she said, “I want [the film] to screen in Taiwan since I studied [at] college in Taiwan […] and since they are now talking about equal marriage. I think that may be the right time for [the] movie to go there.”

Although the movie, which acquired MOP1.5 million in support from the Cultural Affairs Bureau, is not directly portraying lesbianism, Choi explained that the film depicted love and the equal right to love regardless of gender.

When questioned by the Times on whether citizens still feel that homosexuality is a taboo topic in the region, Choi answered, “not anymore.”

The Macau filmmaker cited her belief that there still needs to be much change before the region will be in favor of equal rights for same-sex couples. Choi may be hinting at the fact that same-sex couples are excluded from the region’s domestic violence bill.

“I think it’s way too far to go for Macau because even if we talk about equal law in Macau, [it’s] not even close. We want Macau people to be more aware of this kind of issue but I think it’s a long way to go,” she explained.

The Macau filmmaker hopes that the audience sees the significant changes Macau has gone through but said that at its core the film depicted human relationships, which are more essential for the audience.

Speaking on her future prospects, Choi said she is working on projects that are also Macau-
related, many of which are related to gender. She also added that she is in negotiations with different companies about forthcoming projects, particularly a potential film about children in the MSAR.

In terms of the organization of the IFFAM, the director suggested that it would be beneficial for the public to purchase tickets on-site, noting how important it is for the local audience to view different kinds of films.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress Gigi Leung expressed her gratitude to the director yesterday at the press conference. Leung, who shot the film after she had given birth, said that she believes such films are the kinds of productions that are important and that she has not received many opportunities to work in these kinds of productions lately.

As the movie portrayed major changes that Macau went through before and after the territory’s handover, Leung noted that the transformation of the region also generated different emotions from Hong Kong audiences.

She says that she personally  empathizes with the characters and the love story, as they are both authentic.

“After giving birth to my child, I have a lot of understanding about love and I think the film is about caring, love and sisterhood. I think we have different interpretations of love […] but love is universal,” she remarked.

Leung supposed that the message of the movie is: “express love before it’s too late.”

The Hong Kong actress is impressed with the production team’s professionalism. Commenting on the changes Macau went through, Leung said she finds something different in the city every time she visits the region.

“I still like Macau even though it has [greatly] changed. I always believe that the city has changed a lot but people are still the same, still very friendly [and] very helpful,” she said.

Commenting on the IFFAM, Leung noted that it is still too early to tell but remarked that it is “quite good” and “very professional.”

Further, Eliz Lao, an actress raised in Macau who also took part in the movie as one of the four sisters, remarked that there are significant emotional attachments to some of the region’s historical locations. As the film featured several historic sites in the region, Lao implied that such scenes could make one nostalgic.

‘El Invierno’ depicts isolated life in Patagonia

Argentinian Film “El Invierno” made its Asian premier in the International Film Festival & Awards – Macao (IFFAM) yesterday at the Macau Tower.

The film has obtained a number of Argentinian and international film awards.

Directed by Emiliano Torres, the movie tells the story of a man who has been working his whole life on an isolated ranch in Patagonia. The old foreman Evans is forced to retire, replaced by Jara, a younger man who plans to set up there with his wife and kids.

But as the region is cut off by snow, it is no longer a matter of working, but of surviving the harsh conditions.

During yesterday’s press conference attended by the director, scriptwriter, producer and cast, the director revealed the challenges faced by the production team in shooting in Patagonia.

Torres noted that it took him quite a while to decide on directing the film as it challenged him to reach the standards of his previous movies.

“It is never easy being a director of a movie [that has] no big stars,” he told the press.

As only a small part of Patagonia was featured in the film, Torres said that he wanted to focus on the residents rather than on the landscape.

According to the director, it was not his initial objective to rely on image and feelings rather than words. This changed when he witnessed that the residents of Patagonia only communicate when necessary. “It’s who they are. They don’t talk,” he added. The independent movie, which has a budget of USD500,000, is part of the film competition in the IFFAM.  LV