Ankie Lau's perfect star for film? Her daughter
On the events circuit, model Ankie Beilke and mum Ankie Lau Heung-ping often seem to be attached at the hip. Now, mother and daughter are closer than ever as they prepare to make a film together.
At a Shiseido skincare launch last Thursday at The French Window restaurant, presided over by model Fala Chen and comedian Jim Tsim Sui-man, Lau chatted excitedly about the project. It will be her first directorial effort for a feature film since 1997's Last Chance Love.
She was most active as an actress in Hong Kong in the late 1970s and early '80s, before moving to Germany, where Beilke was born.
Lau will take on the tasks of screenwriting, directing and producing. 'It's a lot of work, but I've done that and more previously,' Lau said. 'For Last Chance Love, I played the main character as well as handling all the other jobs.'
For the latest project, the starring role goes to Beilke. The basic story is of a young man's journey of self-discovery, during which he meets a young woman - played by Beilke - who changes his view on life forever.
'The working title is Dancing with Strangers,' Lau said. 'I think of life as a dance, and everywhere you go there are new people and encounters.'
Shooting starts in Germany in the spring. Ever a Hongkonger, Lau said she expected to turn the film around for a fourth quarter release next year.
