My Way

EnglishHong Kong /2012 / 72min / HDV
导演：Cheuk Cheung

This is a story about male Dan (male performer playing female lead) in Cantonese Opera; a documentary seven years in the making about a marginalized art form.

 

In Hong Kong, two young men: TAM Wing-lun, and WONG Hau-wai, both have chosen Cantonese Opera as their profession. They want to be the male Dan which is rare in the industry. Without the support of family, the industry or the society, the only thing to keep the two men going is their passion. Ever since they were young, the two have been each other’s confidant and supporter, learning how to interpret the role of women, and motivating each other on and off stage.

 

The art is not a popular field in Hong Kong. It is impractical and generally not supported. When the road ahead is unclear, how does one continue? How does one reach his final destination?

 

  

 

 

 

This is a story with a fascinating beginning.

Tan Yinglun and Wang Houwei, the film’s main characters, first met in 2004. At that time, Wang had already been fascinated by Tan’s early start as a dan. Wang decided to approach Tan in order to make him the subject of his film MY WAY.

Five years later, because of a fateful encounter, Wang introduced me to Tan. Wang felt it necessary to continue to research for MY WAY. I picked up the project and poured over the research of the past 5 years. Through this process, I realized that Wang and Tan’s lives were intimately intertwined. Therefore, I decided to juxtapose their paths in this film, and thus the current rendition of MY WAY was born.

During the making of the film one thing became abundantly clear: validation of ones identity is of tantamount in modern times. Even if one has the best talents, but if these talents are not validated then it’s like landing in a foreign country without a visa: no entry. Is this proof that Cantonese Opera has lost its meaning and sustainability in a profit driven society like Hong Kong?

Art has always been a luxury item in Hong Kong. Unless you were born into money, there’s hardly any means to invest time into art. While the practical realities of everyday life forces art to be compromised or overlooked. So is art a path that leads to a dead end? Can art exist purely out of passion? How many people would choose art as their goal in life?

Through the lives of two different young Cantonese Opera actors, the diverging paths they’ve chosen will carve out our generation. They will seize opportunities and leave indelible marks of their dedication. For many artists (myself included) this is the ultimate portrayal of passion.