Stop what you’re doing right now. Director Brandon Li just dropped his latest travel film, “Hong Kong Strong”, which was filmed over a month or so in the run up to Chinese New Year.
While we’re no stranger to beautifully shot videos of life in Hong Kong, this exhilarating seven-minute film really takes the cake.
Described as a “deep dive into the many layers of Hong Kong”, the film zooms through the city, taking in lion dances, abandoned buildings, winding tram rides and intimate personal moments, intercut so skilfully that it almost feels like one long take at times.
Li shot the footage over a month or so during Chinese New Year festivities, and said he found it “fascinating” to see how compressed Hong Kong is, and how “people find ways to exploit every little nook and cranny of space to their advantage.” We particularly love the score, which utilises sounds like gleeful screaming from atop a rollercoaster or a constant, throbbing heartbeat to convey the variously dizzying or languid pace of life.
Whether it’s the crush of bodies racing to light the lucky “first incense” on New Year’s Eve or the simple act of two brothers enjoying a cup of tea, Li’s truly captured the spirit and warmth of every scene. Is it too early to say that this is our favourite video of the year?
Learn more about Li’s process here.
Got a tip? Send it to us at hongkong@coconuts.co
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