History in the remaking

FEW LOCAL TELEVISION dramas have achieved such widespread recognition as RTHK's Below the Lion Rock. Screenings of landmark episodes were among the first to be sold out at the Hong Kong International Film Festival in 2003. Director of Broadcasting Chu Pui-hing describes it as 'the microcosm of Hong Kong's development and social changes'.

Given the garlands showered on Below the Lion Rock in the past few years, Elizabeth Wong Lo-tak is understated in her evaluation of the series. An executive producer in RTHK's TV arm, she directed a few episodes in the early 1990s.

'It's only in hindsight that we see Below the Lion Rock as something historically significant,' she says. 'But when we were making them we never thought we were leaving a legacy as such. We never thought we were documenting history per se; it just came naturally. I don't think we could have done it if we'd set out to do it. It would have been pompous.'

Charged with reviving Below the Lion Rock in the shape of a new 10-part series, Wong is careful to steer clear of hyperbole. Planning is still in its early stages. Wong's team has only just begun collecting real-life stories for the scripts and recruiting screenwriters and directors. Production will begin later in the year, with the hope of airing the series next April.

'Below the Lion Rock captivated audiences because it tells stories about people around us,' she says. 'It gives voice to those facing social injustice. The series will once again focus on social problems, and how people overcome hindrances if they stand up and fight. It will be like a manifestation of the Hong Kong spirit.'

Wong cites the pressures of parenting as an example of a suitable topic for exploration. The focus will be on the lengths parents go to in order to ensure a better future for their offspring. 'We won't mind if it turns out to be like a farcical comedy. At the end of the day, truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.'