Patrick Lung Kong, one of the leading reformers of Hong Kong cinema, is an actor-turned-writer/director who made his name in the late 1960s when Cantonese cinema was at its lowest. His celebrated titles, such as The Story of a Discharged Prisoner (1967), Teddy Girls (1969), and Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow (1970), delivered a gritty portrayal of sensitive social issues at the time with brand new cinematics. From then on, his films have been characterised by the co-existence of populist sentimentality and a mission to educate. 

In the 1970s, Lung Kong set out to examine the psyche of modern people in his melodramas. Elements of psychoanalysis and a realist middle-class sensibility are evident in these works. Later, he broke away from Hong Kong with Hiroshima 28 (1974) and Mitra (1977) to present his statements on mankind and global ethics, as well as the prevailing sense of loss and insecurity in Hong Kong and other modern societies. Such cross-border consciousness was well ahead of its time, while reflecting Hong Kong people's rising confidence and their hope of finding themselves a place in the global community.

In retrospect, Lung Kong is indeed a flag bearer in the reform of Hong Kong cinema in the 1960s and 70s. His films also bear witness to the local consciousness and the various issues that arose while Hong Kong was on its way to becoming a modern city. He is a man of vision who bridges the past to the present.

This volume documents the life story of Lung Kong compiled from several interviews the Hong Kong Film Archive conducted over the past years. Also included are essays by famed critics and scholars who expound their views on his works.

Published in March 2010. Priced at HK$120. Bilingual in Chinese and English (English edition in CD-ROM). (Co-edited by Angel Shing and Lau Yam)

ISBN 962-8050-52-4