Summary
Mad World (Cantonese: 一念無明) is a 2016 Hong Kong drama film directed by Wong Chun and starring Shawn Yue, Eric Tsang, Elaine Jin and Charmaine Fong. It is Wong's directorial debut after winning the First Feature Film Initiative. It was selected as the Hong Kong entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.
| Mad World | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Wong Chun |
| Written by | Florence Chan |
| Produced by | Derek Chiu Heiward Mak |
| Starring | Shawn Yue Eric Tsang Elaine Jin Charmaine Fong |
| Cinematography | Zhang Ying |
| Edited by | Wong Chun |
| Music by | Yusuke Hatano |
Production company | Mad World Limited |
| Distributed by | Golden Scene |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Budget | US$258,000 |
| Box office | US$1.8 million[1] |
Premise edit
Tung, a former financial analyst who is struggling with bipolar disorder, is placed in the custody of his truck-driver father after being discharged from a mental health institution.
Cast edit
- Shawn Yue as Tung—a mentally ill stockbroker
- Eric Tsang as Tung's father—a cross-town trucker who takes in his son
- Elaine Jin as Tung's mother—mentally ill woman who was killed by her son
- Charmaine Fong as Jenny—Tung's former fiancée
- Wong Chun as Tung's younger brother (voice)[2]
Development edit
Wong and Chan cited Cageman (1992), about an impoverished community living in cage homes, as a major influence.[3]
Production edit
The film was shot in 16 days,[3] mostly on location in subdivided flats, and with a budget of around US$257,000. As the film was selected by the First Feature Film Initiative (along with Weeds on Fire and Opus 1), they were unable to procure outside investments. Actors Eric Tsang and Shawn Yue both waived their salaries when they joined the cast.[4][5]
Release edit
The film premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival. It opened in Hong Kong cinemas on 30 March 2017.[3] The film grossed almost 10x its budget in theaters. A fraction of the profits were used to compensate actors Eric Tsang and Shawn Yue, who waived their salaries, and the few crew members who worked for free.[4]
Reception edit
Clarence Tsui for The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "While not exactly a full-fledged success, Mad World offers an intimate showcase of a promising director, an actor who can do much more than he’s usually asked to, and a kind of non-manic storytelling that pays for those who are patient enough to pay attention."[5] Edmund Lee of the South China Morning Post gave the film 3.5/5 stars. He wrote, "Mad World is not quite the profound reflection of reality its makers intended it to be, but despite its flaws this is a brave film."[2]
The film was selected as the Hong Kong entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[6]
Awards and nominations edit
| Award ceremony | Category | Recipients | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53rd Golden Horse Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Elaine Jin | Won | [7] |
| Best Supporting Actor | Eric Tsang | Nominated | ||
| Best New Director | Wong Chun | Won | [7] | |
| Hong Kong Film Directors Guild Awards | Best New Director | Wong Chun | Won | |
| 1st Malaysia Golden Global Awards | Best Film | Mad World | Nominated | |
| Best Actor | Eric Tsang | Won | ||
| Best Screenplay | Florence Chan | Nominated | ||
| Best Cinematography | Zhang Ying | Nominated | ||
| 23rd Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award | Best Film | Mad World | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Wong Chun | Won | ||
| Best Screenplay | Florence Chan | Won | ||
| Best Actor | Shawn Yue | Nominated | ||
| Eric Tsang | Nominated | |||
| Best Actress | Elaine Jin | Nominated | ||
| Charmaine Fong | Nominated | |||
| Film of Merit | Mad World | Won | ||
| 12th Osaka Asian Film Festival | Grand Prix | Mad World | Won | |
| 11th Asian Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Elaine Jin | Nominated | |
| Youth Film Handbook Awards | Award for Excellence | Mad World | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Elaine Jin | Won | ||
| 36th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Director | Wong Chun | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Florence Chan | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Shawn Yue | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Eric Tsang | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Charmaine Fong | Nominated | ||
| Elaine Jin | Won | |||
| Best Original Film Score | Yusuke Hatano | Nominated | ||
| Best New Director | Wong Chun | Won | ||
| 17th Chinese Film Media Awards[8] | Best Actor | Shawn Yue | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Florence Chan | Nominated | ||
| Best New Director | Wong Chun | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Eric Tsang | Nominated | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Elaine Jin | Nominated | ||
| Charmaine Fong | Nominated |
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "一念無明-票房收入-香港偶像劇場". hk.dorama.info. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ a b Lee, Edmund (30 March 2017). "Film review: Mad World – Shawn Yue, Eric Tsang in sombre drama". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
- ^ a b c Lee, Edmund (28 March 2017). "How Eric Tsang, Shawn Yue came to star in indie gem Mad World". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
- ^ a b Chu, Karen (22 November 2017). "Oscars: How 'Mad World' Offers an Alternative Look at Life in Hong Kong". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
- ^ a b Tsui, Clarence (8 September 2016). "'Mad World' ('Yat Nim Mo Ming'): Film Review - TIFF 2016". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ Frater, Patrik (21 September 2017). "Hong Kong Picks 'Mad World' for Oscar Consideration". Variety. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
- ^ a b "Chinese films shine at Golden Horse film awards in Taiwan". channelnewsasia.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ "第17届华语电影传媒盛典公布提名名单". Mtime (in Chinese). 29 August 2017.
External links edit
- Mad World at IMDb
