Archive - 11th Five Flavours Film Festival

Mrs K

Malaysia, Hong Kong, China 2016, 97’
subtitles: Polish and English
director: Ho Yuhang
screenplay: Chan Wai-keung , Ho Yuhang
cinematography: Teoh Gay Hian
editing: Sharon Chong, Soo Mun Thye
music: Fugu
cast: Kara Wai, Simon Yam, Wubai, Siow Li Xuan
producer: Ho Yuhang, Albert Lee, Lina Tan, Lorna Tee
production: Red Films
language: Mandarin, Cantonese
colouration: colour

Film description

An elegant wife and mother, living in a comfortable house in the suburbs, unexpectedly finds out that someone is interested in her past. As it turns out, it is full of secrets one should not touch without a loaded gun in their hand. To save her family, she will have to use her old skills – and a lot can be expected from a character played by the mistress of Hong Kong action cinema, Kara Wai.

A dark, powerful, and poetic story from the author of "Rain Dogs" (6th Five Flavours) is an homage to the classic Hong Kong action cinema of the 1970s and 1980s, with its realistic fights, where the fascination with the body and the ethos of a solid training are more important than the spectacular ornaments. The skills are passed from generation to generation, as shown by the relationship between Ms K and her daughter. The fights are not the final goal though – Ho Yuhang’s film is mostly a artfully written, stylish story filled with irony and dark humor.

Kara Wai starred in over 140 titles, including the classic kung fu cinema, wuxia films and contemporary action film productions with meaningful titles such as "Clan of Amazons" (1978), "The Tigress of Shaolin" (1979), and "The Lady is the Boss" (1983). Her filmography is a complete overview of poetics and styles of Hong Kong genre cinema. While working on Mrs K, the actress (born in 1960) did not agree to the use of doubles and played in all the action scenes.

Her screen partners are the stars of Hong Kong cinema Simon Yam ("Election", "Sparrow", 7th Five Flavours) and Tony Liu ("A Man of Immortality"), a Taiwanese rock musician Wu Bai and Faizal Hussein from Malaysia ("Bunohan", 6th Five Flavours). Playing in the subversive episodes are directors Dain Said ("Bunohan"; "Interchange", 10th Five Flavours), Fruit Chan ("Made in Hong Kong"), and Kirk Wong ("The Big Hit"). 

Jagoda Murczyńska

Ho Yuhang

Born in 1971 in Petaling Jaya, studied film engineering at the University of Iowa. After returning to Malaysia, he worked as a producer of commercials and TV productions. He directed several independent short features, features and documentaries, praised by critics and awarded at various festivals, including Nantes, Rotterdam and Locarno. His "Rain Dogs", the first Malaysian film shown in the competition at Venice IFF, was shown in the "Focus: Malaysia" section of the 6th Five Flavours.

Filmography:

2000 Semangat insan - Masters of Tradition (dok.)

2003 Min

2004 Sanctuary

2006 Bezpańskie psy / Tai yang yu / Rain Dogs

2009 Sham moh / At the End of Daybreak

2009 15Malaysia (fragment "Potong Saga")

2016 Pani K / Mrs K

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