Dawn Must Come (aka Tears of the Pearl River)
Dir: Wang Weiyi
Scr: Chan Chan-wan
Prod Co: Nanguo
Cast: Lee Ching, Cheung Ying, Wong Sun, Ma Mang-ping, Lee Yuet-ching
1950 | B&W | D Beta | Cantonese | 107min
In the early 1930s, Wang Weiyi was a member of The League of Left-Wing Dramatists and his works often exposed corruption of government officials. In the late 40s, he joined Nanguo, a key left-wing film company in Hong Kong, and was tasked to direct the debut film of the company. Produced by renowned director Cai Chusheng, the film is a realist tragedy about farmers in Guangdong who are oppressed by treacherous and greedy landlords. It stirs the audience's emotions by depicting the helplessness of a farmer's family in the hands of the corrupted rich. Lauding the invaluable contribution and humanity of the working class, the film is a landmark in the history of Hong Kong left-wing cinema both thematically and aesthetically.