The Current Cinema - Michael Campi draws attention to a new film from Hong Kong - THE NARROW ROAD (Lam Sum, 2022)

The Narrow Road

In recent years the renaissance of independent Hong Kong films in Cantonese has been a welcome contribution to local and world cinema. Several prize-winning films have been popular inclusions in international film events. Lam Sum's THE NARROW ROAD premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 2022 where Fionnuala Halligan expressed enthusiasm in Screen Daily: "tender, thoughtful film. "The film continues to be greeted by warm responses internationally along with prizes and citations. Let’s hope that such films will find more inclusion and recognition in arthouse cinemas around the world. Excitement in Hong Kong cinema is more than generic crime films or restorations of the work of Wong Kar-wai however timeless and superb many of them continue to be. 

 

In a Q&A, Lam Sum told an audience that the script for THE NARROW ROAD was started before the pandemic as the story of an honest man working in his small cleaning business in Sham Shui Po, living with his ailing mother while employing and assisting a young, likable single mother whose care for her young daughter might conflict with honesty in retail environments. 

 

When Covid became a harsh reality in Hong Kong, its inclusion in the final script provided more than a background to everyday events.  The narrative is very finely developed in terms of characterisations and a sympathetic look at unskilled people struggling to survive during health and economic uncertainties. 

 

As with Lam Sum's earlier short film OASIS, there is a genuine concern for younger people living in low or no rent situations.  Both films display a strong sense of understanding the importance of fine visuals, particularly in THE NARROW ROAD, with its exquisitely rendered scenes (cinematography by Meteor Cheung) especially nocturnal streetscapes.  Both films, along with the exceptionally fine DRIFTING by Jun Li, have memorable scores by composer Wong Hin-yan. Happily his recent work for THE NARROW ROAD is available on a commercial CD.

Angela Yuen The Narrow Road

 

The leading actor, Louis Cheung, has a long career in singing, writing songs and acting in theatre. His appearance on the stage as Stanley Kowalski in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE was well received. Early in his career, he voiced Anakin Skywalker in the Cantonese dubs of two STAR WARS films.  His co-star Angela Yuen provides a subtle performance as the bright young single mother, remaining a sympathetic presence even when she excuses small acts of retail larceny because of her young daughter's needs.  

 

This is a film that deserves a wide audience to appreciate its excellent narrative, visual and aural qualities.   One looks forward to more innovative independent Hong Kong Cantonese films and the future work of Lam Sum. 

 

Lam Sum, director of The Narrow Road

It's exciting to note that THE NARROW ROAD won the Hong Kong Film Critics' Awards for directing and leading actor.  The film was deservedly also awarded Best Director and Best Actor prizes by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society. It also achieved prizes for best original film score in the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan.