Six M+ Restored titles are touring international film festivals, with the first three to be featured on Cathay’s inflight entertainment, in Autumn 2026

M+, Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) in Hong Kong, presents three newly restored films in 4K from the M+ Restored initiative supported by CHANEL: Cageman (1992) by Jacob Cheung, Just Like Weather (1986) by Allen Fong, and The Butterfly Murders (1979) by Tsui Hark. Together, these titles reflect the creative experimentation and technical innovation of the Hong Kong New Wave, a globally influential movement that encompasses diverse approaches to filmmaking, from social realism and hybrid forms to breakthroughs in genre cinema. Following an international film festival tour, the titles will be presented at the M+ Cinema in Autumn 2026, marking the initiative’s next phase.

Since its debut in 2025, M+ Restored has expanded the global recognition of Hong Kong’s cinematic heritage. As of June 2026, close to one hundred screenings have taken place across thirty-six cities worldwide, including major film festivals such as Cannes Film Festival, New York Film Festival, Tokyo International Film Festival, and San Francisco International Film Festival, as well as cultural institutions such as The Museum of Modern Art, New York; British Film Institute; Eye Film museum, and Thai Film Archive. These presentations enable audiences to encounter the titles in newly restored formats, reinforcing their relevance and accessibility.

Jacob Cheung’s landmark film Cageman (1992)

Cageman depicts the lives of a group of middle-aged men sharing a cage home in Hong Kong. Steering clear of sentimental melodrama, vulgar comedy, and radical denunciation, the film presents a blend of absurd realism, rich emotion, and relentless street humour, capturing the precarity of life in pre-1997 Hong Kong. Jacob Cheung’s defining work, Cageman garnered wide critical acclaim upon its premiere at the Hong Kong International Film Festival in 1992. The 4K restored version debuted at the same festival in 2026, underscoring its continuing resonance thirty-four years later.

Allen Fong’s experimental docudrama Just Like Weather (1986)

Just Like Weather builds on Allen Fong’s exploration of social realism through a bold fusion of drama and documentary. The film follows its lead couple as they re-enact their real-life experiences alongside scripted scenes, blurring the boundaries between performance and reality. Through jump-cut editing and a non-linear narrative structure, the film develops an ambiguous and hazy allure, using the instability of the couple’s relationship to reflect Hong Kong’s uncertain future as 1997 approached. This inventive combination of filmmaking and lived experience marks a pinnacle in Fong’s career, solidifying the film’s status as a key work of Hong Kong New Wave cinema.

Tsui Hark’s debut feature film The Butterfly Murders (1979)

The premiere of The Butterfly Murders in 1979 is widely regarded as the emergence of the Hong Kong New Wave movement. Blending suspense, mystery, and martial arts, the film opens what its protagonist describes as a ‘new era of the wuxia world’, with an unconventional portrayal of martial arts through mechanical props, dynamic visuals, unique camera angles, and bold editing. From its enigmatic opening atmosphere to its intense battle sequences, The Butterfly Murders remains a landmark piece in the city’s cinematic history.

M+ Restored film titles will feature on Cathay’s inflight entertainment in Autumn 2026

In Autumn 2026, the first three M+ Restored titles—The Arch (1968) by T’ang Shushuen, The System (1979) by Peter Yung, and Love Massacre (1981) by Patrick Tam—will be presented on Cathay’s inflight entertainment system. As the first airline to make 4K ultra‑high‑definition content available onboard, this initiative builds on the ongoing partnership between WestK and Cathay, its Travel Partner, following the April 2025 launch of the WestK in the Sky series, which brings distinctive arts and cultural content from the district to global audiences. Presenting M+ Restored titles on board offers international audiences access to landmark works of Hong Kong cinema during their journey and reflects a shared commitment to showcasing the city’s vibrant culture, allowing travellers to rediscover the city’s cinematic heritage in stunning clarity at 35,000 feet.

Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, says, ‘With the second phase of M+ Restored, we continue our commitment to preserving and sharing Hong Kong New Wave films with audiences in the city and beyond. We are thrilled to see these titles being featured at major international film festivals, which affirms our ongoing efforts in championing Hong Kong’s distinctive moving image culture on the global stage. M+ Restored has been made possible with the invaluable support of our Major Partner, CHANEL. We look forward to bringing this cinematic heritage to audiences through international distribution, in-house screenings, public programmes, and Cathay’s global network.’

Silke Schmickl, CHANEL Senior Curator, Head of Moving Image, M+, says, ‘Taken together, Cageman, Just Like Weather, and The Butterfly Murders reveal the remarkable breadth of Hong Kong New Wave and the distinctive cinematic languages that emerged during this period. Each film represents a different approach to form and technique. Revisiting them today deepens our understanding of their formal daring, historical significance, and enduring relevance.’

Supported by CHANEL, the M+ Restored initiative seeks to increase the visibility of Hong Kong’s rich cinematic heritage through the presentation and restoration of nine feature-length films. Launched in July 2023 as part of a three-year partnership between M+ and CHANEL, the initiative highlights the new cinematic languages of the Hong Kong New Wave, which emerged in 1979. The movement includes influential figures such as Tsui Hark, Allen Fong, Ann Hui, Patrick Tam, Yim Ho, and Peter Yung, whose work drew inspiration from European art cinema, Hollywood, and American independent films. The remaining M+ Restored titles will be announced later this year.

About Jacob Cheung

Jacob Cheung (Hong Kong, born 1959) graduated from secondary school and completed actor training at Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) prior to working as an assistant director in television. He then served as a producer on multiple films before turning to directing. His directorial debut Lai Shi, China’s Last Eunuch (1988) was a commercial success, followed by Beyond the Sunset (1989) and Cageman (1992), both of which won Best Film at the Hong Kong Film Awards. He later directed a number of notable artistic films, including Always on My Mind (1993), Intimates (1997), The Kid (1999), and Midnight Fly (2001). Cheung went on to expand his career into the Chinese Mainland, where A Battle of Wits (2006) achieved both critical acclaim and box office success.

About Allen Fong

Allen Fong (Hong Kong, born 1947) grew up in Hong Kong and later studied in the United States, earning a master’s degree in film production at the University of Southern California. He returned to Hong Kong in the mid-1970s and worked at Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), where he directed episodes of the celebrated television series Below the Lion Rock (1972–2025). Fong made his feature film debut with Father and Son (1981), which was awarded Best Film and Best Director at the inaugural Hong Kong Film Awards. His subsequent works, Ah Ying (1983) and Just Like Weather (1986), are widely regarded as masterpieces of the Hong Kong New Wave and gained international recognition at European festivals such as the Berlin International Film Festival and Torino Film Festival. After directing the documentary Tibetan Tao (2000), Fong relocated to Canada.

About Tsui Hark

Tsui Hark (Hong Kong, born Vietnam, 1951) completed his secondary school education in Hong Kong before moving to the United States, where he studied film at The University of Texas at Austin. After returning to Hong Kong, he directed The Gold Dagger Romance (1978) at Commercial Television (CTV). His feature film debut, The Butterfly Murders (1979), was considered an early work of the Hong Kong New Wave. He later directed Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind (1980), which drew widespread attention for its uncompromising vision. With Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983), Tsui broke new ground in the wuxia genre by introducing Hollywood-style special effects. In 1984, he founded the production company Film Workshop with producer Nansun Shi. The company launched the critically acclaimed Shanghai Blues (1984) and went on to release several successful film series, including A Chinese Ghost Story (1987–1991), The Swordsman (1990–1993), Once Upon a Time in China (1991–1997), and Detective Dee (2010–2018). Tsui’s latest work is Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants (2025).

About M+

M+ is Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture. Located in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK), it is dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, design and architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The landmark M+ building on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbourfront was designed by the world-renowned architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Arup. It spans a total floor area of 65,000 square metres, featuring thirty-three galleries alongside a Learning Hub, Moving Image Centre, Research Centre, and Roof Garden, among other event and programming spaces. The M+ Facade is one of the largest LED screens in the world, showcasing commissioned artworks on the Hong Kong skyline every evening. The museum stewards a multidisciplinary permanent collection that includes objects from regions across Asia and beyond. A highlight is the M+ Sigg Collection, one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of Chinese contemporary art. Today, M+ is a nexus for researching and presenting contemporary visual culture, inspiring thought and curiosity.

About the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK)

WestK is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural hubs in the world and Hong Kong’s new cultural tourism landmark, spanning forty hectares alongside Victoria Harbour. WestK comprises a mix of landmark arts and cultural facilities, including world-class museums M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, intricately designed performing arts venues the Xiqu Centre and Freespace, the eleven-hectare Art Park with a waterfront promenade, and the upcoming WestK Performing Arts Centre.

Hosting over 1,000 exhibitions, performances, programmes, and events each year, WestK provides a vital platform for both emerging and established artists. WestK welcomes more than ten million visitors each year, evolving as the international cultural brand of Hong Kong and strengthening the city’s strategic role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

About CHANEL Culture Fund

The CHANEL Culture Fund fosters a vibrant network of creators and innovators to advance the ideas that shape culture worldwide. Core programmes include CHANEL’s Art Partners, institutions whose leaders are supported in the development of groundbreaking, long-term initiatives that bring transformation to the cultural landscape. The CHANEL Next Prize celebrates artists and accelerates their future successes through access to resources and mentorship. And the podcast CHANEL Connects amplifies the voices of thought leaders across disciplines, generations, and geographies—tackling the defining issues of our time.

From driving artistic innovation with technology at CalArts in Southern California to catalysing creative freedom at scale at Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin, from championing game-changing artists at the Venice Biennale to celebrating the brightest directors at the British Film Institute, the CHANEL Culture Fund extends a century of commitment to the arts and champions creative audacity for a better future.