1:99 (2003)

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Synopsis aller Kurzfilme (engl.)

1:99 Shorts

March, 2003

Under the turmoil of the SARS epidemic, the people of Hong Kong were also faced with unprecedented psychological trauma, in which our local heroes continue to kindle us with hope and dignity. Inspirational stories -- from selfless medical staff, courageous patients, compassionate communities, and literally all sectors of our society -- spring up every minute to help us through the hardship.

April, 2003

With the support of our government, Federation of Hong Kong Film Workers has kicked off the 1:99 Shorts in late April, commissioning twelve one-minute shorts from celebrated film directors, thereby raising the moral as well as the awareness of the people of Hong Kong.

Short 1

Working Title: Smile

Director: Teddy Chen

Synopsis

As the epidemic fades, people resume their busy life without being able to resume happiness. But smiling faces pass by us everyday. All you need is to pay a little bit more attention, and you'll see its omnipresence.

A LITTLE BIT MORE presents a humorous approach on viewing our city through the search of smiling faces. Scored with 'Always look on a bright side'.

Short 2

Working Title: Of A Cause (Animation)

Director: Tsui Hark

Synopsis

A new chapter for the 70's local comic book hero Master Q. Master Q, Sweet Potato & Mr. Ching live in a small island where they fight endlessly. One day, they find themselves surrounded by copious hungry sharks. With the help of civilized Miss Chan, all people in the island unite to overcome adversity.

Short 3

Working Title: Hong Kong - A Winner

Director: Stephen Chow

Synopsis

The passage of a SARS patient, a mother, in an isolated award… Through communications on the net, we are exposed to the patient's optimism and courage towards live and hardship. SURE WIN is about this fighting spirit in the face of a deadly disease even if you are in the lower hand. The patient's family is brought closer together. They too recover from their plight and resume normal life.

Short 4

Working Title: Family Of Heroes

Director: Alex Law and Mabel Cheung

Actor: Anthony Wong

Synopsis

How did our younger generation make it through the turbulence of SARS? What kind of a role model or inspirations did we offer them? Now that the epidemics subside, has the traumatic experience mature our children? And towards what direction?

To whom would they offer this rose they've planted in their young hearts?

Short 5

Working Title: Rhapsody

Director: Johnny To and Wai Ka-fai

Actor: Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng, Lau Ching-wan, To Man-chik and Lam Suet

Synopsis

By recuperating the grass-root favorite oldies from the 70's and 80's, Andy Lau, Sammi Cheng, and Lau Ching-Wan take cameos in this tribute MTV to celebrate the remarkable qualities of the people of Hong Kong - their optimism, persistence, determination, and finally, their indestructibility. An effort to encourage our citizens to continue demonstrating these fine qualities in the face of SARS - to rule SARS out of Hong Kong and restore our city to its glory.

Short 6

Working Title: My Sow Is Not Feeling Well

Director: Fruit Chan

Actor: Shine

Synopsis

Shine - the singing duo - takes times off the stage in this occasion and goes to the pig farm. Their pigs were pardoned from the latest episode of the epidemics, yet suddenly one day, one of the sows is in trouble. She feels depressed, cannot eat and refuses to move. Everyone is concerned whether she has caught something terrible… could that be the sign of the second strike of SARS?

Short 7

Working Title: Spring, 2003

Director: Peter Ho-Sun Chan

Synopsis

In the spring of 2003, an unprecedented storm was brewing over the Victoria Habour, chilling the city to its marrow… And the odds could only be overcome by courage and optimism.

Short 8

Working Title: Who's Miss Hong Kong?

Director: Joe Ma

Actor: Eason Chan, Cookie, 3T, Chow Lai-kee, Wu Fung and Chang Ying-choi

Synopsis

12 nervous beauty queens, in mandarin suits and with rigid smiles, line in front of the TV camera inside the studio amidst festive band sound. 2 MCs - Eason Chan & Lydia Shum -- fiddle with a sealed envelop as to add onto the hype of the revelation of its content. Finally, they break the seal and announce -

"And the winners is… "

"No. 1"

"Contender Hong Kong"

Spotlight casts on the winner who wears a bouffant in the shape of the Hong Kong Island. She weeps in joy and gladly receives applause and showers of kisses from the other contenders.

"Ladies and Gentleman, and all home audience…

…If you are not willing to love her, who will?"

Hong Kong - A Legend Reborn

Short 9 (not included on DVD)

Working Title: The Last Victory

Director: Wong Kar-wai

Synopsis

A young girl bids farewell to her mask…

Short 10

Working Title: A Glorious Future

Director: Andrew Lau and Alan Mak

Synopsis

It took Hong Kong over a hundred years to transform from a small fishing town into the metropolis today. But it was not out of sheer luck; the epidemics of the rats and cholera, droughts and floods, the Japanese Occupation in WWII, typhoons, and the 1997 stock crash… each of these disasters alone would have sufficed to wipe out the entire city. But the people of Hong Kong were able to make a turn-around every time in adversity. We survived because we were determined and had never given up hope. In the face of SARS the new disease and the consequential discrimination overseas, we have to unify once again to fight the odds. And our future will continue to blossom.

By using archive photos and footages, as well as present day street interviews, A GLORIOUS FUTURE is the collage of Hong Kong's century-old history, along with true voices of the people of Hong Kong. Also featured, the theme song from the 70's TV hit series of the same title.

Excerpts from street interviews:

How to preserve even the last drop of water; collectivity is an important task…

Look out for each other, never turn our back on our neighbor…

SARS is not a natural disaster - the disease is spread by human. If we can improve our hygiene, we can wipe out the epidemic...

I'm not afraid of SARS. I'm afraid of not being able to go to school…

Short 11

Working Title: Until Then

Director: Gordon Chan

Actor: Aaron Kwok, Dayo Wong, Gigi Leung, Josie Ho and Gigi Lai

Synopsis

Whenever a disaster strikes, some of us will always depend on the others to come up with a solution, and keep on whining until then. But the problem will not vanish if everyone hides in his/her own niche. Through humor, a team of renowned comedians is going to remind us of taking action instead of sitting on the problem. The settings are familiar commoner spots like a local-style tea-and-snack shop, the Star Ferry, and the Temple Street.

Short 12

Working Title: 1:99 McDull (Animation)

Director: Brian Tse and Yuen Kin-to

Synopsis

Small Prince (starring McDull) and his sleazy friends - the snake and the duck -- are thick thieves. Together, they make their Small Planet one big open toilet by crapping, peeing and sneezing all over. Ironically, the lonesome prince yearns for a beautiful flower all along. Another prince from another planet brings him a seed of hope. Small Prince sows the plant with full dedication. And finally one day, the single most beautiful rose blossoms in his planet. Everyone is captivated by its beauty until the flower coughs up a big bubble of sputum! The snake urns over and dies before he can show his disappointment. A flock of Asian Tiger mosquitoes strikes an attack, and Small Prince and duck merely flee. The rose spits again as a meteor named Hong Kong Dragon is approaching the Small Planet. The rose continues to spit as the dragon closes in…

Ah!!! A squeal of pain slits the silence of the universe and the muteness of the film.

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