Feature in development

家庭 (Family) is set during the Umbrella Movement in modern-day Hong Kong. It is a comedic drama about Ming Ming, a local student in Hong Kong who just wants to make her own decisions in life. Amidst the frenetic turbulence of a close relative’s funeral, the upcoming entrance exams and university applications, the numerous family banquets, the political storm, Ming Ming is just a girl who wants to break free from the traditional expectations and social restraints of her family and grandmother, Por Por.

Genre: Feature-length Comedic Drama
Country: Hong Kong
Language: Cantonese, Mandarin & English

Oi Man Housing Estate, Kowloon, Hong Kong. September 28th, 2014. 

A home-cooked dinner is set on a round table. The TV is buzzing. Ming Ming places the dumplings into the hot pot and announces, “Dinner’s Ready”.  Ming Ming's Grandfather, Ah Gong sits down first with his newspaper and sneaks a little bite. Ming’s little brother, Dai Dai quickly attempts to follow. SMACK. Ming Ming’s Grandmother, Por Por slaps Dai Dai's hand out of the way.  Dai Dai grunts at Gong Gong. Gong Gong smirks back. Por Por checks her petite gold watch and shakes her head. The whole family, apart from Ming's Father, AH BA who is late, starts to eat. Ming Ming avidly watches television as she shovels rice into her mouth.  On the television, we see thousands of students on the street holding up their iphone torch light, illuminating the city sky. A local news porter announces, “Yesterday at 1:45AM, Occupy Central co-founder Benny Tai Yiu-ting declared the start of the long-anticipated civil-disobedience campaign as crowds gathered---” Por Por changes the channel to a mainland Chinese network and exclaims to the family, “Who do these kids think they are these days? Missing school when their parents work so hard for their education. Ming, those students are ruining their own lives, don’t you think?” Ming raises her bowl to hide her face as she takes another bite. She doesn’t answer.

Set during the Umbrella Movement in modern-day Hong Kong, 家庭 (Family) is a comedic drama about Ming Ming, a local student in Hong Kong who just wants to make her own decisions in life. Amidst the frenetic turbulence of a close relative’s funeral, the upcoming entrance exams and university applications, the numerous family banquets, the political storm, Ming Ming is just a girl who wants to break free from the traditional expectations and social restraints of her family and grandmother, Por Por. But how can she do this if Ming is constantly watched in the family’s miniscule, two-and-a-half bedroom apartment she shares with her entire six person family?

Ming’s journey begins after coming home from her uncle’s funeral. In a small and cramped kitchen, steaming with the aromas of Cantonese food, Ming Ming’s Mother, Ma and the family’s Filipino part-time helper, Lisa are cooking. Por Por and Ming Ming prepare the dumplings together on a table in the corner. Por Por throws aways a dumpling that Ming just finished and asks her to do it again. “No! It will not hold if you add too much. Can’t you just do what I taught you,” Por Por whines. Ming quietly folds another dumpling.

Family captures moments in Ming’s life as she slowly breaks free from the restraints of her Grandmother in contrast to the brewing unsteady political situation in Hong Kong. Not only does Ming have to face the expectation of being the good older-sister role model for her younger brother, Dai Dai as she works her through entrance exams and university applications, Ming faces her own inner turmoil as she falls in love with her indian neighbour, Mukti, who convinces her to join the student-lead, “Umbrella Movement”. However, it is Por Por who dictates what Ming is allowed to do and what she isn’t. Can Ming gain the courage to decide what is best for herself, if fighting for what she wants means that she might ruin the chances of getting into college and supporting her family?

The film tracts the antagonistic relationship between the young-mindedness Ming Ming and the traditionalism of Por Por.  In the final act of the story, Ming decides to run away from home and joins Mukti to protest for Hong Kong’s democracy. Por Por and Lisa are preparing the food for the Chung Yeung festival. A portable TV sits next to them, as they chop up the vegetables, playing the news. Por Por looks at the television and sees a group of young students getting arrested. Ming Ming is immersed in a large crowd near the government headquarters. Mukti and two other friends are holding a large banner. The police have started retaliating and attacking the students with tear gas and pepper spray. Wearing protective goggles, Ming stole from chemistry class, and a face mask, Ming Ming holds up a yellow umbrella as tear gas clouds the streets. Por Por leaves hurriedly. Por Por looks out to the Hong Kong skyline as takes the ferry from Kowloon to the central district. The cries of protesters are heard in the background. Back in the cramped apartment, a home-cooked dinner is set on a round table. The TV is buzzing. Everyone but Ming Ming and Por Por wait patiently at the table. Ming Ming is sitting in the corner crying. Her eyes are blood red. Her umbrella, broken. Protesters are fleeing from the site. In the distance, Por Por runs towards Ming Ming holding a water bottle and a handkerchief. She holds a frightened Ming Ming in her arms.