Chasing the Dragon
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Theatrical Screenings
Kinoteka 2
Film description
The year 1963. Hoping for a better life, Ho illegally crosses from China to Hong Kong, which is under authoritarian British rule. In dire financial straits and needing to put food on his family’s table, Ho is forced to turn to crime. He is ambitious and not afraid to use his fists, so he quickly climbs the rungs of the criminal career ladder, inspiring fear and forming an alliance with the corrupted cop, Lee Rock. But not everybody is happy to see Ho’s rise to power.
Lavishly realized and visually stunning, Chasing the Dragon is the rare result of a successful collaboration of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese filmmakers. It is astounding in its attention to detail when recreating Hong Kong of the 1960s, including the legendary Kowloon Wall City, and its breathtaking fight sequences. The movie is a remake of the 1991 Hong Kong gangster classic To Be Number One, and the two protagonists are based on real-life historical figures. The film also marks the first time Donnie Yen and Andy Lau share a screen.
text:
Marcin Krasnowolski
Jason Kwan
Hong Kong cinematographer and director. He began his career in cinematography with the 2004 Malaysian movie A Legendary Love. He shot movies for Pang Ho-Cheung (Love in a Puff) and Yan Yan Mak (Merry-Go-Round) among others. As a director, he debuted in 2017 with A Nail Clipper Romance.
2017 Zhi Jia Dao Ren Mo / A Nail Clipper Romance
2017 W pogoni za smokiem / Chui lung / Chasing the Dragon
2019 Chui lung II / Chasing the Dragon II: Wild Wild Bunch
Jing Wong
Born in 1955. One of the most important and prolific Hong Kong filmmakers, he has produced over 180 titles, directed 120 and acted in nearly 90. He began his career in Hong Kong television and transferred to cinema as a screenwriter for the Shaw Brothers Studio. He directed his first movies in the early 1980 and achieved a breakthrough in 1989 with God of Gamblers, starring Chow Yun-fat and Andy Lau. Ever since, his expeditiously produced movies feature a lot of violence and comical relief crossing over into blatant parody. Currently, he is working in Hong Kong, often on Chinese co-productions.
1982 Lie mo zhe / Mercenaries from Hong Kong
1989 Do san / God of Gamblers
1994 Dou san 2 / The Return of the God of Gamblers
2004 Sing gam do see / Sex and the Beauties
2005 Jeuk sing / Kung Fu Mahjong
2015 Du cheng feng yun / The Man from Macau
2017 W pogoni za smokiem / Chui lung / Chasing the Dragon
2019 Chui lung II / Chasing the Dragon II: Wild Wild Bunch
2022 Yi tin to lung gei / New Kung Fu Cult Master