Echoes of the Rainbow

by Venny Lai, Language instructor,English Language Centre, the HK Polytechnic University

Echoes of the Rainbow (《歲月神偷》) haschurned up excitement in town since it wasawarded a Crystal Bear at the BerlinInternational Film Festival last month.

Meanwhile, the movie draws attention to thefast-disappearing heritage of Hong Kong,because in the Urban Renewal Authority's ( 市區重建局) original plan, the historic Wing LeeStreet (永利街), where the movie is set, wouldbe redeveloped, with 9 of the 12 "tong laus" (唐樓) being demolished.

The movie takes viewers back to the tryingtime of the 1960s, when many Hong Kongresidents were immigrants from mainlandChina, having to make ends meet, andwhen corruption was a widespread problem.

Told through "Big Ears" (played by Buzz ChungSiu-to), an 8-year-old boy, the story about thestruggle of his family-the Laws-speaksfor thousands of Hongkongers who have gonethrough similar hardships. Mr Law (played bySimon Yam), a cobbler, works day and nightwith his rough hands, while his wife (played bySandra Ng) mans the shop so they can earnfood and education for their two sons, and paybribes to the police. Sadly, just as Desmond(played by Aarif Lee), Big Ears' 16-year-oldbrother, is bringing pride to the family as a topstudent at an elite school, he is diagnosedwith leukemia. The news devastates theLaws, as well as the Sham Shui Po neighbourhood.

The movie is not meant to be pessimistic,however. Having undergone typhoon destructionand the loss of Desmond, the family remainintact and become stronger. Indeed, AlexLaw, director, and Mabel Cheung, producer,made the movie as a tribute to the optimismand can-do spirit of the post-WWII settlers inthe 1960s Hong Kong. It serves as a reminderto Generation Y of the valuable footprints leftbehind by their parents and grandparents.

The movie also redefines happiness formodern Hong Kongers. As we are living in aworld where it is a general belief that moremoney means more happiness, the movietakes us back to the old Hong Kong and showsus that true happiness comes from warmrelationships. Like the Laws, we should findhappiness from within-personal growthand familial love.

May we also wish the moviemakers and thecast the best in the 29th Hong Kong FilmAwards, as the movie has received 5nominations: Best Actor, Best Actress, BestNew Artist, Best Screenplay and Best OriginalSong.

G lossary

churn up 攪動demolished 拆毁

make ends meet 餬口cobbler 鞋匠

bribe 賄款elite 精英

leukemia 血癌devastate 使傷心

intact 完整的tribute 致敬

familial love 家庭溫暖