Martin Scorsese transports the plotline of Infernal Affairs from the rooftops of Hong Kong to the streets of Boston. The story of an undercover police officer who infiltrates a triad while a criminal who spies as a mole in the police force, is a foolproof template for Scorsese’s extensive examination of masculinity within corrupted systems.

Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), struggling with his double identity while working undercover, gathers evidence to dismantle the organised crime syndicate headed by Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). Meanwhile, Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) is enjoying life as a rising star in the police force, but his real identity as Costello’s spy is catching up on him. Living in fear, Costigan and Sullivan are set on a collision course. The Departed is not merely a remake of the Hong Kong crime drama, but a dedicated character study featuring career-best performances by an ensemble of Hollywood powerhouse actors.

The screening on 25 January will be followed by a post-screening talk in Cantonese with critic and scriptwriter Keeto Lam. He will speak about the adaptation of The Departed from the original screenplay of Infernal Affairs. The talk will be moderated by M+ Curator of Hong Kong Film and Media Li Cheuk-to. Simultaneous interpretation in English will be available.

Martin Scorsese (b. 1942, USA) is a New York native and graduate of New York University. He spearheaded the New Hollywood movement with early films like Mean Streets (1973) and Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) that broke new ground for studio filmmaking. The success of Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980) made Scorsese a critical darling while classics like Goodfellas (1990) cemented his auteur reputation in popular culture. In addition to his highly personal projects such as Kundun (1997) and Silence (2016), Scorsese is an avid documentary filmmaker whose works featuring musicians, including The Last Waltz (1978) and No Direction Home: Bob Dylan (2005), are among the most celebrated in the genre. As an advocate for the cinema arts, Scorsese founded The Film Foundation and World Cinema Project, both of which have contributed immensely to film preservation.