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Missbehavior

恭喜八婆

Director: Pang Ho-cheung (彭浩翔)

2019|Hong Kong|88min|Language: Traditional Chinese, English|Subtitles: English, Japanese

Date Time Venue Guest
3/14 (Thu) 13:00 ABC Hall
3/17 (Sun) 10:00 *Sold Out Cine Libre Umeda 4   
Missbehavior
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Cast
Isabel CHAN (陳逸寧)
Dada CHAN (陳静)
Gigi LEUNG (梁詠琪)
June LAM (林兆霞)
CHUI Tien You (徐天佑)
Synopsis

The mobile chat group "Nosy Bitches" comprises six ladies and two gentlemen. They were once very close, but for various reasons have become alienated. That changes when one member, June, accidentally uses a bottle of breast milk belonging to her mean boss to make coffee for a client. June doesn’t need a disaster at work so she calls upon the her old friends to help her rustle up another bottle of breast milk by the end of the day. What follows is a series of grudging reunions for the “Nosy Bitches” as we get to know them. This cohort includes a nursery teacher, former bandmates, a gay couple whose relationship is on the rocks, and a policewoman who believes another member stole her boyfriend.

Director PANG Ho-cheung, a favourite of OAFF audiences, milks this scenario for maximum comedic impact and this potential is realised by an ensemble cast pulling off witty wordplay and manic escapades.

Director’s Statement

22 September, 2018. My wife asked me if I had a birthday wish. I told her that I hoped Hongkongers can have a laugh, so she suggested that I make a Hong Kong-style Chinese New Year comedy.

“Will I be able to make it in time? Chinese New Year is in early February.”

“If you kick off pre-production tomorrow, start production in late October and wrap it before end of November, then I think you’ll make it,” she said.

“That sound doable. But what is the story going to be?”

“How should I know? It’s your birthday wish! But since it’ll open in Chinese New Year, you should call it ‘Gong Hei Pat Poh’ (A play on traditional CNY greeting, ‘Gong Hei Fat Choy.’). I’m going to order another hand roll. Do you want one?” She then called the waiter over.

After dinner that night, I began conceiving ideas and preparing the project with that title in mind. There was no investor willing to invest in a local Hong Kong production, so we funded it ourselves. There was no money to rent a proper filmmaking camera, so we used a Panasonic GH5 camera. We called all our friends to scour free locations for the shoot. When a member of the crew needed a day off for her wedding, I even conceived a scene that we could shoot at her wedding venue. Assistants were pulled in to help the crew. Some actors didn’t even know what role they’d be playing when they arrived on set.

In the end, this crazy production began filming on 31 October with no investor and no script. We wrapped on 22 November after 14 shooting days. When editing was complete, I realised that I didn’t even have to cut out a single scene.

Under such constraints, I know that Missbehavior won’t be the best film in my filmography. But it’s a gift I’m offering from the heart to the city that I was born and raised in. I was raised in the generation that benefitted from the prosperity of Hong Kong, and I truly hope that I can offer some happiness in return. Even if it doesn’t amount to much, at least I’ve done my part because we’re truly and desperately in need of laughter. Why not start off the Year of the Pig with a hearty laugh?

Pang Ho-Cheung

導演的話

2018年9月22日,太太問我有甚麼生日願望,我說希望香港人可以笑一下。於是她提議我拍部港產賀歲片。

「來得及嗎?二月初就要新年了。」

「如果明天籌備,十月底開拍,只要十一月底前停機,就應該趕得及了。」她說。

「聽起來是有可能,可是應該拍甚麼故事呢?」

「我怎麼知道?這是你的生日願望啊!但在農曆新年公映的話,可以叫《恭喜八婆》。我想再點個手卷,你要嗎?」她說完就忙著找侍應。

於是這個只有片名的計劃,就在當晚飯後開始邊構思邊籌備。沒投資方願意出資拍港產片,就自己投資;租不起攝影機,就用Panasonic GH5相機;四處到朋友免費借出的地方拍攝。期間有個劇組人員要請假一天舉行婚禮,我甚至計劃要去她婚禮場地拍一幕;助理們都被拉進導演組和製片組幫忙;有些演員甚至到現場當天仍未知自己要演甚麼角色。

終於,這個沒劇本沒投資的瘋狂計劃,就在10月31日開鏡,11月22日煞科。當中拍了14天。我在影片完成後才發現,當中竟然連一場刪剪片段都沒有。

受資源和時間所限,這不會是我導演生涯中最滿意的作品,卻是我誠摯獻給我出生及成長城市的禮物。作為受惠於香港盛世的一代,只希望能為這城回饋歡樂,哪怕只一點點,也算盡個綿力。我們太需要笑聲。因此,不如在豬年來臨時,大家笑咗先。

彭浩翔