Supermarket cashier Ming (Wong Hin Yan) leads a dull and feeble life. Even the little joy of pleasuring himself has been taken away when his tiny personal space is invaded by his younger sister and her new boyfriend, who have been shaking the screws loose in the bottom bunk every night. On the other hand, his mentally unstable mother is harbouring a dark secret that might just be the last nail in the coffin. After meeting the quick-witted real estate agent Jenny (Anna Ieong), Ming settles into a new apartment smoothly, only for his sister’s boyfriend to catch up with him—bullying Ming and exploiting his cowardice. Feeling helpless, Ming finds a ray of hope in the form of a reincarnation service.

Macau filmmaker Ao Ieong Weng-fong directs his debut feature film with the sort of boldness and vigour that is rarely seen in a newcomer. Starring Hong Kong’s Golden Horse-winning musician Wong Hin Yan, I Want To Be a Plastic Chair dives deep into surrealism and dark humour in its depiction of the human condition for those who cannot fit in.

The screening on 13 April will be followed by a post-screening talk with director Ao Ieong Weng-fong and lead actor Wong Hin Yan. The director and actor will also host a pre-screening introduction on 14 April. The talks will be conducted in Cantonese.

Ao Ieong Weng-fong (b. 1984, Macau) studied entomology at National Chung Hsing University before he obtained a master’s degree in Visual Communication Design at National Yunlin University of Science and Technology. He has worked extensively as a cinematographer, winning Best Cinematography at Shanghai International Film Festival’s New Asian Talent Award for his work in Blue Amber (2018). His directorial debut I Want to Be a Plastic Chair (2023) premiered at Golden Horse Film Festival.