Two independent directors who spent a summer shooting movies on Cheung Chau have provided inspiration for up-and-coming filmmakers with their realistic approach towards teenage life.
The productions - A Side, B Side, Seaside by Chan Wing-chiu (aka Ah Chiu) and b420 by Mathew Tang Hon-keung - were well-received at local and overseas film festivals.
The former grabbed a place in the New Talent Award section of the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival earlier this year, while the latter won the Grand Prix at Japan's 19th Fukuoka Asian Film Festival.
Both movies revolve around romantic themes as well as how teenagers cope with adulthood. But the directors handled these common themes in a different manner.
A Side, B Side, Seaside tells the story of a schoolgirl at a graduation camp on Cheung Chau and the bitter-sweet experiences of a young girl, Ah Mei, and her childhood friends on the island. Starring secondary students and non-professional actors, the film has the taste of a documentary.
'Adolescence should be very simple. But this simple stage of life is often neglected and many teenagers go through it without enjoying it. I want to capture youth on film because it's something you will treasure a lot when you grow old,' said Chan.