Based on a real murder case, Philip Yung’s third film Port of Call established him as a key player among a new generation of filmmakers. Yung took a chance in casting newcomers Jessie Li and stage actor Michael Ning, who completely outdid themselves. Aaron Kwok gave a transformative performance, while Christopher Doyle’s cinematography took the visuals to the next level.

A teenaged mainland migrant engaging in compensated dating is killed and dismembered. Though the perpetrator promptly turns himself in, the police investigator continues to dig toward the tragedy’s underlying truth. Port of Call brings to mind the crime mysteries that were in vogue in the years leading up to the 1997 handover. However, its point is not to dramatise the crime or the investigation, but rather to explore, through the framework of a genre film, the dark side of human nature and two people forsaken by society.

This screening will feature the director’s cut, which is 22 minutes longer than the theatrical version. It will be followed by a talk with director Philip Yung and Fruit Chan, the director of Durian Durian (2000), moderated by Li Cheuk-to, M+ Curator-at-large of Hong Kong Film and Media. The talk will be held in Cantonese.

Philip Yung (b. 1979, China) is a well-known director, screenwriter, film critic, and presenter in Hong Kong. Having worked in film for more than 20 years, he is widely recognised as one of the city’s key mid-career filmmakers. Yung’s first feature, Glamorous Youth (2009), was an indie title reflecting on youth and the changing of the times. In 2015 he wrote and directed Port of Call, which caused a stir in Chinese-speaking film circles upon release. Newcomers Jessie Li and Michael Ning walked away with a combined 13 acting awards, while Port of Call became the first film to achieve a ‘grand slam’ at the Hong Kong Film Awards, winning all five major performance categories. Yung’s other works include Where the Wind Blows (2022), Papa (2024), The Snowball on a Sunny Day (2026), and Cyclone (2026).