Hong Kong Film Festival

Made in Hong Kong Film Festival: The Secret
New digital restoration!

The Secret, Ann Hui’s debut feature, proves that the director had mastered the film medium from day one. Hui, who went on to become a monumental figure of Hong Kong cinema, skillfully utilized the dynamics of the Hollywood suspense genre to tell a decidedly local tale. The story takes off from a horrific crime inspired by a real-life incident, turning sensational headlines into a map of social and psychological currents. The script by Joyce Chan, who had penned some of the most noteworthy projects by New Wavers dating back to their television years, is informed by her intelligent and compassionate sensibility. It sets the story in Hong Kong Island’s Western District, effectively using neighborhood landscapes for dramatic ends. (Dir.: Ann Hui, Hong Kong, 1979, 90 min., DCP, Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles)

Films are shown free of charge in the 300-seat Meyer Auditorium at the Freer Gallery of Art. Admission is first-come, first-served. Auditorium doors open approximately 30 minutes before show time.

The twenty-third annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival is coorganized by the Freer|Sackler and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office.