Interview: Adrian Kwan, director of hit Hong Kong film Little Big Master

: It's a big surprise. Films that convey warmth and positive messages — like those gospel movies that I made in the past — don't usually do well commercially. But with Little Big Master, the story is based on a real-life principal who endured a meagre salary and saved a kindergarten from closure single-handedly, and that touches audiences' hearts. When I went to movie theatres with the film crew to express our gratitude to the audience, we saw all kinds of people enjoying the film. Whole families came; teachers came with their students. Usually, only animation movies can attract such diverse audiences. The success of the film shows that movies with a healthy theme can also become mainstream in local cinema, which has long been criticised for churning out formulaic movies.

I don't think I am a touchy-feely person. But since making movies, I cry whenever I see the authentic, beautiful and kind nature of human beings being shown. When I made the movie about a soccer team made up of street sleepers, I saw social workers visit them and their kindness touched me. When I saw the street sleepers stand on their feet again, I cried. When I met the principal of the kindergarten, I also cried. I will only make a movie if I find the script moving. I want the movie to not only touch me, but also others.

When I was a child, I loved movies such as Jaws and Star Wars. I also loved writing, and studying humanities subjects. But as a boy, I needed to study science subjects, too. I flunked all my physics and maths tests. I was at a loss over my future. My public exam results were not good and I went to Canada to join my sister who was studying there. My family did not allow me to study film at university, so I chose computing. After a year, I switched my major to film without telling my parents. One year later, I showed them my film works and they were surprised and let me continue. My documentary The Strangers, which is about racial discrimination endured by immigrants like me in Canada, won best educational documentary in a film festival in Saskatchewan in 1992. This was the first prize in filmmaking I won and it got me into the industry.