Where The Wind Blows Comes To North America, Tony Leung Wins Best Actor At The Asian Film Awards In Hong Kong
Written by Deborah Lau-Yu
Acting Legend Tony Leung was honoured with Best Actor for his portrayal of Nam Kong (one of the four great sergeants of the 1960s) in Director Philip Yung's Where the Wind Blows. His wife Carina Lau presented the award and teased the audience when she opened the envelope and said that the name was hard to pronounce. Leung also took home a 2nd trophy for his contribution to film. Coincidentally, Chinese superstar Tang Wei was crowned Best Actress for her role in Korean romance thriller Decision To Leave, which placed her victory right next to Leung, who was her co-star in their 2007 film, Lust, Caution. The controversial film at the time catapulted her to fame.
After some years of criticism about its future and sustainability with shifting markets and politics, Hong Kong films have gained momentum recently with some major blockbusters and creative storytelling. With Mama's Affair, Table for Six, Detective Vs. Sleuths, The Sparring Partner, and a Guilty Conscience, the winning streak continues with new releases, marking a revival of spirit and passion for the craft of film. The success has found its way beyond Asia, to diaspora communities around the world and especially here in North America, where viewing Asian films has become increasingly accessible via entertainment partners like Cineplex Theatres (a luxury that in previous decades had not been available). Where the Wind Blows is a highly anticipated movie. Leung co-leads with Aaron Kwok who plays Lui Lok in the film, which is the first time that the two icons have worked together in lead roles — the last time they were on set together was decades ago for a short encounter. Many followers of Hong Kong film were delighted with this pairing, in what Yung calls his "love letter to Hong Kong." This film has received wide acclaim in Asia and its North American premiere takes place next week, on March 21st in Canada.
What makes Where the Wind Blows so unique? It is not the first time that the story of Lui Lok has been depicted in film and dramas. You might be familiar with the character that has been played by many giants in the entertainment industry, including Andy Lau (starring alongside Donnie Yen), Kenneth Tsang, Francis Ng and Vincent Wong in past and recent films. In this rendition of what is traditionally categorized as a crime thriller and police story, you might find a breath of fresh air with Philip Yung's approach to storytelling and cinematography — what has been described by Aaron Kwok himself as romantic. The love stories and the nuanced character traits of both characters will be explored in ways not done before, including scenes that involve music and dance. Tony Leung trained for weeks to master his piano jazz solos in the movie, which is a brand new skill for him. Fans of Kwok will be in for a treat as well, with some of his on-screen dancing in a style that is also outside of his repertoire.
FOR SHOWTIMES, please check back on
Monday, March 20th for updates!
WHERE THE WIND BLOWS
風再起時
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY Philip Yung (Port of Call)
導演/編劇：翁子光
STARRING 領銜主演:
Aaron Kwok (Cold War series) 郭富城
Tony Leung (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) 梁朝偉
DU Juan (“Europe Raiders”) 杜鵑
In the 70's, Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption(HKICAC) was founded. The mission to hunt down corrupted detectives unveiled a new chapter of the colonial Hong Kong. Lui Lok (Aaron Kwok) and Nam Kong (Tony Leung) who used to be two righteous police officers wanted to change the status quo. They built an empire of corruption by controlling organized crimes and eventually took the position of Chief Chinese Detective. However, power struggle has always been the cause of chaos between the triad and police. Lui Lok’s wife, Tsai Zhen (Du Juan) was targeted by the triad for helping her husband in gaining his position. Even the most loyal detectives Fat-Bee (Michael Chow) and Yim Hung (Patrick Tam), almost turned their backs to Lui Lok. In the rapid exchange of scenes, HKICAC announced the global wanted for corrupted detectives, addressed the decline of Lui Lok and Nam Kong's era. Where the wind blows, Hong Kong is no longer what it used to be.
Philip Yung’s long-awaited follow-up to the critically acclaimed Port of Call is an ambitious, genre-bending epic loosely based on the rise and fall of the notorious “Four Great Sergeants” in 1960s Hong Kong. The film centres on the friendship and rivalry between two resourceful police detectives Lui Lok and Nam Kong who forge dangerous alliances with organised crime. This first onscreen pairing of superstars Aaron Kwok and Tony Leung Chiu-wai also boasts a scene-stealing performance from Hong Kong Cinema icon Michael Hui.
六十年代香港警隊無貪不樂，警員磊樂（郭富城 飾）與南江（梁朝偉飾）想改變現狀，攜手以貪制貪，華洋黑白通吃，終升任總華探長。權利膨脹導致勢力大亂，磊樂太太捲入社團惡鬥。至廉署成立，揭開殖民時代落幕篇章。梟雄此起彼落，還看兒女情長。
年度鉅作《風再起時》由金像班底打造，《踏血尋梅》導演、金像編劇翁子光執導，譜寫香港命運交響樂章，史詩式背景及製作，展現風格與娛樂兼備的跨類型融合。兩大影帝郭富城(飾演磊樂)、梁朝偉(飾演南江)首度合作，配以金像金馬級人馬許冠文、謝君豪、譚耀文(飾演 顏洪)、金燕玲、春夏、白只，還有久休復出的周文健(飾演韓森)、國際名模杜鵑、一眾青春實力演員徐天佑、林耀聲、吳卓羲、張繼聰、曾一萱等，陣容令人興奮。風再起，時代交替，往事心銘記
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Port of Call, last film of mine was a heavy one. Contrastingly, Where The Wind Blows is very gentle, as light as a breeze blowing through. Once a film critic, I was criticized for filming for the film critics. I am also a scriptwriter, Christopher Doyle criticized me for only keeping my eyes at the script. This time, filing as a film maniac, I made a film with mixed genres – gangsters, biopics, musical which fulfilled my childhood. Filming my favourite actors and actresses on set for Where The Wind Blows was like I had travelled back in time to grow with the old dreamy, glamorous Hong Kong, and to tell a story as simple as nursery rhyme. Hong Kong is just a tiny place. I believe even an epic of this place would still be as soft as a soft humming music. I selfishly filmed my version of “Once Upon a Time in Hong Hong” to show and share the beauty of my hometown. Hope everyone will enjoy it.
導演的話
我上一部戲《踏血尋梅》是重的，《風再起時》很不一樣，是輕的，特別輕，真的就像一陣風吹過。曾經是影評人，我被批評「拍戲是拍給影評人看的」；我也是一個編劇，被杜可風批評我拍戲的時候眼睛只盯著劇本；這一次我，作為影迷，去拍一部電影，圓了自己年少時看的種種黑幫片、傳記片，甚至歌舞片的電影夢，亦懷著香港那份如夢的舊，眼裡看著現場那些我最喜歡的演員，如痴如醉，我似是時而超越時間為我城同步滄桑老去，也似是回到孩堤時期訴說那個簡單如卡通或童謠的小故事，香港只是一個小小的地方，我深信即使為她寫下史詩，也只會是一闋如小調般的詠唱，我第一次見梁朝偉的時候，他說很想看看我會怎樣拍一部 “Once Upon A Time In Hong Kong”，用我再三細細觀察過那張像奇勒基寶的臉的郭富城，還有家父最喜愛的偶像許冠文，盡用私心去拍一部在自己心裡代表美好的香港電影，跟大家分享，希望大家也喜歡。
《風再起時》製作緣起
《風再起時》以上世紀六十年代香港警隊「四大探長」的事跡為藍本，以磊樂與南江的傳奇人生，刻畫一代梟雄有超乎常人但又離不開常人的人性光彩和弱點。過去已有不少以「四大探長」為題材的電影，對此導演翁子光也認為這些作品是他的啟蒙，表示：「當年看過《跛豪》及《雷洛傳》後，我已經開始想，外國有《甘地傳》及《莫札特傳》這些電影，香港也可以拍出優秀的人物傳記電影。」
導演銳意以21世紀的技術和視野，講述一個全新的「四大探長」故事：「當年香港電影或許未有足夠的資源，搭景重現50、60年代的香港面貌，也沒有CG特效的輔助，以現在的技術處理這類年代電影的效果可以事半功倍。」
他希望拍出一部富香港情懷的電影，跟過去的傳記片有所不同，《風再起時》將是以全新視野和觀眾回望那個富爭議的年代，香港兩大華人探長的傳奇人生，及當年香港處於殖民地末期的動盪起伏、時代交替。他解釋：「我希望這部電影有大格局、大視野和氣勢恢宏。而且電影強調時代更替，風格帶有詩意。《風再起時》有別傳統追求官能刺激的警匪片，反而著墨於怎樣看香港這個地方，以及香港人的心態。這是個百分百香港故事，充滿年代感，富有特別情懷的電影。」
演員陣容強強聯手
翁導演為《風再起時》找來華語影壇難得一見的強勁陣容，首度矚目結合兩大影帝郭富城、梁朝偉合作，分別飾演南江及磊樂。其他參演演員的組合更是一時無兩，包括殿堂級影帝許冠文，久休復出的周文健，金像金馬級演員謝君豪、譚耀文、金燕玲、春夏、白只、張兆輝，《擺渡人》杜鵑，還有一眾後起之秀徐天佑、林耀聲、吳卓羲、張繼聰、曾一萱等。他們是最切合角色人物的實力演員，他們的演出肯定令觀眾目眩。
翁導演對幾位影帝讚不絕口：「之前已經跟郭富城合作過，這次有機會跟梁朝偉合作，我真的沒甚麼遺憾了！梁朝偉願意接拍《風再起時》是因為他對香港電影的感情，他是很重感情、很敏感細膩的人。我們邀請許冠文演出，因為他的存在對香港人來說是具有特殊意義。他在戲中有一場長達五分鐘的英語對白戲，相信大家也會像我一樣看得如癡如醉。希望這場戲能寫下影史，至少為作為影迷的我留下了紀念。」
翁導演透露開拍《風再起時》最主要的其中一個原因是因為郭富城。他說：「我們創作的『磊樂』有充滿感染力的才智，西裝筆挺但又有斯文敗類的感覺。我在拍《踏血尋梅》的時候，看著郭富城，覺得他很有昔日巨星如加利格蘭(Cary Grant)，那種精緻及風流倜儻的韻味。我就想：這不就是呂樂嗎？郭富城自然是演這個角色的不二之選。」
在籌備劇本時寫到南江這角色時，翁導演根本不敢想像能夠請來梁朝偉扮演這個重要角色。南江這個角色外表文質彬彬，內心卻是「滿肚密圈」的忠奸人。梁朝偉與導演首次見面就問他：「你為什麼會想拍一部香港版《義薄雲天》（Once Upon A Time in America）呢？我很想知道你會怎麼拍。」
翁導演也邀請了曾經合作過《踏血尋梅》的好拍檔再度合作。他表示﹕「《風再起時》還是郭富城夥拍譚耀文，他們的演出比《踏血尋梅》更可觀。我們又請來金燕玲、白只、春夏參演，可以說是劇組重聚。他們三位的戲份不是特別重，但都是影響磊樂人生的重要人物，尤其是金燕玲和春夏。金燕玲和春夏的演出簡直會發光一樣，真摯又動人，將角色活靈活現。在片場看到他們真的好開心，像見到家人一樣。」
兩大影帝演活不一樣的華探長
郭富城與翁導演再度合作，今次角色要求比《踏血尋梅》更高。郭富城表示：「我在電影中由30歲演到90歲，有三個階段的造型變化，演出也要隨著年齡轉變。除了要呈現磊樂不同階段的轉變外，另一大挑戰是很多人演過雷洛，他們都演得很出色，所以我要演出一個大家從未見過的雷洛，我們花了很多精神及心血塑造角色，務求另觀眾有新的感覺。」
郭富城為了演繹角色不同年齡的變化，除了透過演技表達外，在外型上他也下了不少功夫。磊樂在警隊上位後經常煙酒應酬，郭富城為角色犧牲一向保持的鋼條身形，特別增肥去扮演角色中年發肥的狀態，他又留了二撇雞令外型更成熟。為了神似角色晚年時期，他在臉上化上特技化妝，營造出滿面滄桑的老態。
梁朝偉首次與翁子光導演合作，他很喜歡導演的《踏血尋梅》。他很高興能參演《風再起時》，特別是能夠與許冠文有多場對手戲。梁朝偉透露：「這是一部關於香港歷史的電影，我是香港土生土長的演員，能夠參與演出，覺得特別有意義。更特別的是，能夠和我的偶像許冠文合作，他的電影我都看過。」
提到戲中亦敵亦友的對手郭富城，他說：「郭富城是很出色的演員，非常認真努力，我們合作很愉快。」
《風再起時》有別於以往講述四大探長傳奇的電影，更深刻描寫兩位華探長磊樂和南江的成長及內心世界，不僅剖析了兩人在仕途野心勃勃的原因，也細膩的刻劃了兩人對家庭和愛人的感情世界。兩人在處事的風格更突顯兩個角色的鮮明性格，磊落以行動說話，讓人看到他的一舉一動；南江則深藏不露，不會坦白自己的盤算。這一剛一柔的配搭令他們在警隊不斷步步高升。
磊落和南江的性格在一場夜宴當中表露無遺。他們在晚宴遇到心儀的蔡真 (杜鵑 飾演)，南江低調大展琴技，而磊樂則在舞池中央跳踢躂舞，成為全場焦點，他更大膽邀請蔡真共舞。磊樂成功引起蔡真的注意，更抱得美人歸，南江只是眼望著一切發生，一直埋藏愛意。
梁朝偉親自演繹片中多場鋼琴戲，他在開拍前苦練了3個月鋼琴，每天練習8至10個小時。他由完全不懂彈琴，到開拍時已經可以輕鬆地彈奏多首樂曲。而舞王郭富城就大曬精湛舞技，在拍攝時即場編了戲中長達五分鐘的踢躂舞。
華語影壇精英雲集製作班底
翁導演除了請來頂級演員坐鎮之外，為了以自己獨特的唯美視覺呈現六十至八十年代的香港，特別邀請多位華語影壇精英參與幕後製作。
《風再起時》的攝影是來自台灣的攝影大師秦鼎昌。他是魏德聖導演的御用攝影師，曾為《海角七號》、《賽德克巴萊》及《Kano》擔任攝影師。今次，他以擅長的人物捕捉，在他的鏡頭下呈現了一代梟雄的意氣風發，與及惆悵憂憤。
美術設計方面，電影由曾為《無間道II、III》、《畫皮》、《色‧戒》等賣座電影擔任美術指導的雷楚雄擔綱。雷楚雄大展金像美指功架，搭建了具時代感的考究場景，完美呈現昔日殖民地時代的香港。由被日軍侵占時的石板街，到六十年代四大華探經常到訪消遣玩樂及密謀大計的白宮酒店、低下階層蝸居的徙置區，都一一還原大銀幕。
而電影的服裝造型，由四次榮獲香港電影金像獎的吳里璐負責，她設計戲服時，除了根據年代外，也著重人物性格，為戲中演員打造出前所未見的形象。
《風再起時》劇情緊湊，充滿浪漫情懷，細膩描寫一代華探長的心路歷程，有別以往同類題材作品，絕對值得期待。
風再起時 WHERE THE WIND BLOWS
A film by PHILIP YUNG
Produced by 出品：
大地時代文化傳播（北京）有限公司 Dadi Century (Beijing) Company Limited、
美亞電影製作有限公司 Mei Ah Film Production Co., Ltd、
大地電影發行（香港）有限公司 Dadi Film (HK) Limited 、
美亞長城傳媒（北京）有限公司 Mei Ah Media (Beijing) Limited
Global Distributor 全球發行：
美亞娛樂 Mei Ah Entertainment Group
North american Distributors 北美發行：
Imagi crystal and Illume Films
Directed/Written by 導演/編劇：
翁子光 Philip YUNG
Producer 監製：
朱嘉懿 Julia CHU、李錦文 Peggy LEE、唐慶枝 Patrick TONG、曹敬文 Kingman CHO
Lead Starring 領銜主演:
郭富城 Aaron KWOK、梁朝偉 Tony LEUNG、杜鵑DU Juan
Special Appearance 特別演出：
許冠文 Michael HUI、春夏 Jessie LI
Starring主演：
譚耀文 Patrick TAM、周文健Michael CHOW、何珮瑜Jeana HO、金燕玲 Elaine KAM、吳卓羲 Ron NG、張繼聰 Louis CHEUNG、張可頤 Maggie CHEUNG、謝君豪 TSE Kwan-ho、林耀聲 Sing LAM、徐天佑 CHUI Tien You、白只 Michael NING、何啟南Stephen HO
Genre 類型：犯罪、傳記、劇情 Crime, Thriller
Duration 片長：144 分鐘 minutes
DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY
PHILIP TSZ-KWONG YUNG was born in Hong Kong in 1981. He has been involved in film and television production since 1998, becoming a production assistant soon after. In 2009, he wrote and directed his first feature film Glamorous Youth. Despite of its low budget, it was highly acclaimed as a stunning work, and received Film of Merit at 16th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards. In 2014, Yung wrote and directed Port of Call which was premiered as the closing film at 39th Hong Kong International Film Festival. Port of Call swept many awards across Asia including Best of Bucheon at 19th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival. And unprecedentedly, Port of Call is the only film in history that received all the acting awards – Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best New Performer at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Port of Call was also selected as the Hong Kong entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 89th Academy Awards. After that, Yung wrote and filmed Where the Wind Blows, a Hong Kong epic from 1940s to 1970s based on the rise and fall of the notorious Chinese police detectives in colonial Hong Kong, as his fourth feature film.
CAST BIOGRAPHY
AARON FU-SHING KWOK (as “Lui Lok”) His versatility as a concert stage performer and as a silver screen actor has elevated his superstar status to an often unrivaled level in Hong Kong and Asia. Over the years, Aaron has developed a highly successful career as a leading pop singer and considered as one of the "Four Heavenly Kings" in the 90s. Aaron has not let the fame affect him. He is constantly looking to improve his skills and commits himself to the art of acting. The dark psychological thriller Divergence (2005) provided Aaron the ability to flex his dramatic acting skills in a breakthrough role that earned him the first Best Actor award at the Golden Horse Film Awards. He received his second Best Actor award consecutively in 2006 for his role in After This Our Exile (2006). He also won the Best Actor Award at the 35th Hong Kong Film Awards for his role in Port of Call(2015) directed by Philip Yung.
TONY CHIU-WAI LEUNG (as “Nam Kong”) is an actor and singer from Hong Kong, who is internationally recognized as one of Asia’s most accomplished actors. Well-known for his roles in Chungking Express (1994), Happy Together (1997), and In the Mood for Love (2000), all directed by Wong Kar Wai, he has also appeared in three Golden Lion winners of the Venice International Film Festival: A City of Sadness (1989), Cyclo (1995), and Lust, Caution (2007). Furthermore, Leung built his filmography by starring in Hero (2002), which was a nominee for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards 2003, Infernal Affairs (2002), and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). Since the beginning of his career in the 1980s, he has received numerous awards. Along with winning the Best Actor at Cannes Film Festival 2000, he is a five-time winner at the Hong Kong Film Awards and a three-time winner at the Golden Horse Film Awards; and he holds the record for the most awards in the Best Actor category.
RELATED ARTICLES
The soft ting-ting of a bicycle bell echoes through Avon Theatre as a nostalgically dressed paper boy glides down onto the stage, bring the audience to the bustling backstage of Beijing’s People's Art Theatre, offering a first-person view through the eyes of American playwright Arthur Miller, who traveled to Beijing in 1983 to direct the Chinese adaptation of his renowned play, Death of a Salesman.