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 , 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 and . 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 , 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.