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When Mabel Cheung and Alex Law studied in New York, they witnessed the situation of the illegal immigrants in Chinatown. Illustrating this theme with the story of an illegal immigrant using a sham marriage to obtain a green card, they created a film script with a tight structure. While the Chinese living in America like to show off their English, they are actually at a loss in the world of foreign languages. The lines switch between Mandarin, Cantonese and English, with homophones and puns generating all kinds of word play and humour. It is a way of dealing with hardship with a sense of humour. The film conveys the sense of rootlessness of Hong Kong people and their resignation about their ambiguous identity. The careful scene breakdown weaves together the various facets of the Chinese immigrant community in America, showing the joys and sorrows of their lives. The tragic ending takes us back to reality, suggesting that the American dream seems to have proved a kind of nightmare for the Chinese.

# Post-screening talk with Alex Law and Mabel Cheung

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