Advertisement

Sylvia Chang on her latest film, Murmur of the Hearts, and trying to shed her movie star image

For four decades, Sylvia Chang has built an illustrious career as an actress and filmmaker — and the Taiwanese star has no plans to relax

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Sylvia Chang. Portrait: Franke Tsang

At the age of 61, Sylvia Chang Ai-chia is still regarded first and foremost as a movie star, even though she has been a director for decades. her first feature as a director since 2008's - opened this year's Hong Kong International Film Festival, which dedicated a 14-film retrospective programme to her as its "Filmmaker in Focus". It's easy to understand why Chang might see her public persona as somewhat limiting.

Advertisement

"I'm the only film director [I know of] who still has to do her make-up and hair at every promotional event," she says with a sigh. "It's very troublesome - and my team always makes fun of me about it - but what can I do? It's because when other people look at me, they still think of me as a movie actress who happens to be doing a director's job."

But the Taiwanese-born Chang, who has been living in Hong Kong for almost 30 years, is renowned for her professionalism. So during an onstage Q&A with playwright Edward Lam Yik-wah as part of the HKIFF in April, Chang politely, albeit awkwardly, fielded the host's probing questions about her love life. She also obliged the giddy and very long queue that formed outside the theatre for her autograph.

Chang explores a location before a shoot.
Chang explores a location before a shoot.

She appreciates the affection, but as one of the most feted actor-filmmakers in the histories of both the Hong Kong Film Awards and Taipei's Golden Horse Awards, Chang wants to be remembered for her decades-long and successful transition from a beloved face onscreen to an established writer-director behind many a sensitive contemporary drama.

Advertisement

Granted, Chang did enjoy a hugely prolific movie-star phrase early in her career - she appeared in 57 films between 1976 and 1986, many of those are some of the most revered blockbusters of Hong Kong cinema, such as the 1980s' series and Tsui Hark's screwball comedy (1984).

Advertisement