A Very Short Life
Encyclopedia
A Very Short Life is a 2009
Hong Kong
drama film
written, produced and directed by Dennis Law
. It is Law's fifth feature film as a writer and director. Centered on child abuse
and child molestation
, the film stars Maggie Shiu as a Hong Kong police commissioner who investigates the murder of an 11-year-old girl at the hands of her abusive mother (Leila Kong
). The film was awarded a Category III rating in Hong Kong for its subject matter and was released in Hong Kong on 19 March 2008.
, Dennis Law
, a property developer and filmmaker, attends a dinner party hosted by his attorney friend, Herman Lee. At the party, Dennis meets Cat Lam, a female police inspector who decides to tell him about a police investigation involving the murder of a young girl.
The story flashes back to when Cat meets Josephine Wong, a police commissioner who wishes to re-open an investigation involving the death of a young girl at the hands of her mother. She is joined by her female colleagues: Barbara, a criminologist; and Ivy, a police sergeant. Josephine decides to conduct an interrogation with the suspect, Becky Lee. Throughout the interrogation, Becky refuses to give a statement, and as a result, becomes subject to police brutality
. Josephine and her colleagues leave her naked in the cold interrogation room, and later conduct a body cavity search
.
Cat later tells how she became involved in the investigation. She arrives at a hospital to find the little girl, Ho Heiyi, lying unconscious and her body full of scars. She dies immediately before doctors can prepare for an operation. She later arrests Jo, Becky's boyfriend, who caught trying to get rid of possible evidence on his computer. The police also well find a series of burnt videotapes. Cat reveals that the tapes contained child pornography
.
During the interrogation, it is revealed that Barbara and the other officers physically restrain Becky, while forcing her to watch one of the videotapes that features Jo having sex with her daughter. After the interrogation, a flashback reveals that Heiyi received the multiple scars after being physically beaten
and whipped with a belt by Becky. While in her jail cell, Becky attempts suicide
by cutting her wrists on a stone bed and later gnawing on the arteries
.
At the hospital, Josephine decides to meet with Becky, who feels that a woman is born to give her body to men, and reveals she was sexually harassed and abused by her father at a young age before meeting various men and giving birth to Heiyi. She also reveals that she knew that Jo had been raping her daughter repeatedly. Using Buddhism
beliefs, Josephine gives Becky advice by telling her that she should use her prison term to reform herself. The film ends with Josephine engaging in a friendly phone call with her daughter.
, with initially the same crew and several actors he used to make his previous four films. The film is a Hong Kong production distributed by China Star Entertainment Group
, and produced by One Hundred Years of Film, along with Law's own production company Point of View Movie Production Co. Ltd. The film was executive produced by Law and Charles Heung
, while Herman Yau
served as a cinematographer and Tiffany Chen
served as an administrative producer.
Hong Kong films of 2009
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 2009:.-2009:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 2009 at...
Hong Kong
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
written, produced and directed by Dennis Law
Dennis Law Sau-Yiu
Dennis Law Sau-yiu is a Hong Kong film producer, screenwriter and director. He is the former chairman and executive director of Milkyway Image, and a founder of its subsidiary company Point of View Movie Production Co. Ltd...
. It is Law's fifth feature film as a writer and director. Centered on child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
and child molestation
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
, the film stars Maggie Shiu as a Hong Kong police commissioner who investigates the murder of an 11-year-old girl at the hands of her abusive mother (Leila Kong
Leila Tong
Leila Tong Ling is an actress in Hong Kong. She was born into an Indonesian Chinese family. Her birth name is used in her works during her childhood and adolescence.- Career :...
). The film was awarded a Category III rating in Hong Kong for its subject matter and was released in Hong Kong on 19 March 2008.
Plot
In Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Dennis Law
Dennis Law Sau-Yiu
Dennis Law Sau-yiu is a Hong Kong film producer, screenwriter and director. He is the former chairman and executive director of Milkyway Image, and a founder of its subsidiary company Point of View Movie Production Co. Ltd...
, a property developer and filmmaker, attends a dinner party hosted by his attorney friend, Herman Lee. At the party, Dennis meets Cat Lam, a female police inspector who decides to tell him about a police investigation involving the murder of a young girl.
The story flashes back to when Cat meets Josephine Wong, a police commissioner who wishes to re-open an investigation involving the death of a young girl at the hands of her mother. She is joined by her female colleagues: Barbara, a criminologist; and Ivy, a police sergeant. Josephine decides to conduct an interrogation with the suspect, Becky Lee. Throughout the interrogation, Becky refuses to give a statement, and as a result, becomes subject to police brutality
Police brutality
Police brutality is the intentional use of excessive force, usually physical, but potentially also in the form of verbal attacks and psychological intimidation, by a police officer....
. Josephine and her colleagues leave her naked in the cold interrogation room, and later conduct a body cavity search
Body cavity search
A body cavity search is either a visual search or a manual internal inspection of body cavities such as for prohibited material , such as illegal drugs, money, jewelry, or weapons...
.
Cat later tells how she became involved in the investigation. She arrives at a hospital to find the little girl, Ho Heiyi, lying unconscious and her body full of scars. She dies immediately before doctors can prepare for an operation. She later arrests Jo, Becky's boyfriend, who caught trying to get rid of possible evidence on his computer. The police also well find a series of burnt videotapes. Cat reveals that the tapes contained child pornography
Child pornography
Child pornography refers to images or films and, in some cases, writings depicting sexually explicit activities involving a child...
.
During the interrogation, it is revealed that Barbara and the other officers physically restrain Becky, while forcing her to watch one of the videotapes that features Jo having sex with her daughter. After the interrogation, a flashback reveals that Heiyi received the multiple scars after being physically beaten
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause feelings of intimidation, injury, or other physical suffering or bodily harm.-Forms of physical abuse:*Striking*Punching*Belting*Pushing, pulling*Slapping*Whipping*Striking with an object...
and whipped with a belt by Becky. While in her jail cell, Becky attempts suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by cutting her wrists on a stone bed and later gnawing on the arteries
Artery
Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This blood is normally oxygenated, exceptions made for the pulmonary and umbilical arteries....
.
At the hospital, Josephine decides to meet with Becky, who feels that a woman is born to give her body to men, and reveals she was sexually harassed and abused by her father at a young age before meeting various men and giving birth to Heiyi. She also reveals that she knew that Jo had been raping her daughter repeatedly. Using Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
beliefs, Josephine gives Becky advice by telling her that she should use her prison term to reform herself. The film ends with Josephine engaging in a friendly phone call with her daughter.
Cast
- Leila KongLeila TongLeila Tong Ling is an actress in Hong Kong. She was born into an Indonesian Chinese family. Her birth name is used in her works during her childhood and adolescence.- Career :...
plays Becky Lee, an abusive mother who is being interrogated for the murder of her daughter. Kong described the scene in which her character slashes her wrists to commit suicide: “This scene showed me using the stone bed to commit suicide. It’s a combination of blood and meat. I was very serious and into the scene, and ended up screaming when I reached home.” Tong admitted going into tears, since she was so into the scene. - Maggie Shiu plays Josephine Wong, a merciless police commissioner investigating the murder case.
- Pinky Cheung plays Cat Lam, a police inspector who witnesses Becky's brutal interrogation, and acts as the storyteller of the film.
- Cheung Siu-FaiCheung Siu-FaiEddie Cheung Siu-fai is a Hong Kong actor best known for his many supporting or everyman roles similar to Liu Kai-chi.-Filmography:-TV series:-External links:* on Sina Weibo* at the Hong Kong Cinemagic* on LoveHKFilm.com...
plays Dennis LawDennis Law Sau-YiuDennis Law Sau-yiu is a Hong Kong film producer, screenwriter and director. He is the former chairman and executive director of Milkyway Image, and a founder of its subsidiary company Point of View Movie Production Co. Ltd...
, a property developer and filmmaker, who meets Cat at a dinner party and learns about the murder investigation. The character is a fictional version of the film's director. - Samuel Pang plays Jo, Becky's boyfriend, who is convicted for rape and molestation of the little girl.
- Koni LuiKoni LuiKoni Lui also known as Koni Lui Wai Yee is a model and 2nd runner up at the Miss Hong Kong 2006 pageant. She represented Hong Kong at Miss International 2006 in Tokyo, Japan and Beijing, China. She received 2 awards, Most Beautiful Smile and the Miss Friendship award...
plays Barbara, the Chief of police and criminologist, who drives Becky to a suicidal and deadly path. - Yoyo Law plays Heiyi Ho, the 11-year-old daughter of Becky, who is at the center of the murder investigation.
- Shermon TangShermon TangShermon Tang Sheung Man is a Hong Kong television actress. Shermon was awarded the "Miss Photogenic" award at the 2005 Miss Hong Kong pageant, launching her career in showbiz. Shermon attended King George V School, an International School before studying in Australia.Actually, Shermon's childhood...
plays Ivy, a cruel and merciless police sergeant. - Crystal Cheung plays Joey Wong, the daughter of Josephine, who wants to follow her family's footsteps and become a lawyer.
- Hui Shiu-HungBenz HuiBenz Hui Shiu-hung is a Hong Kong actor who currently works on the TV station TVB. He used to work on ATV before switching over to TVB.-Family background:...
plays Herman Lee, Dennis' friend, who is an attorney.
Production
A Very Short Life reunites writer, producer and director Dennis LawDennis Law Sau-Yiu
Dennis Law Sau-yiu is a Hong Kong film producer, screenwriter and director. He is the former chairman and executive director of Milkyway Image, and a founder of its subsidiary company Point of View Movie Production Co. Ltd...
, with initially the same crew and several actors he used to make his previous four films. The film is a Hong Kong production distributed by China Star Entertainment Group
China Star Entertainment Group
China Star Entertainment Group is a Hong Kong film production company and film distributor. It was established in 1992 by film producer Charles Heung, and has been known as a huge distributor and film producer of films made mostly in Cantonese dialect....
, and produced by One Hundred Years of Film, along with Law's own production company Point of View Movie Production Co. Ltd. The film was executive produced by Law and Charles Heung
Charles Heung
Charles Heung Wah-Keung is a Hong Kong actor-turned-film producer and presenter. As founder of Win's Entertainment in the 1980s and China Star Entertainment Group in the 1990s, he has helped established the careers of various cinematic icons in Hong Kong that include Stephen Chow, Chow Yun-fat,...
, while Herman Yau
Herman Yau
Herman Yau Lai-To , born 1961 in Hong Kong is a film director, actor, cinematographer, scriptwriter and film producer.-Background:A Chiuchow by origin, Yau studied film at The Department of Communications, Hong Kong Baptist College from 1981 to 1984 where he spent much of his early days hanging out...
served as a cinematographer and Tiffany Chen
Tiffany Chen
Tiffany Chen Ming-Yin is a Hong Kong administrative producer for films made by China Star Entertainment Group. Chen has been named one of The Hollywood Reporter's international Women in Entertainment. Women in Entertainment is an annual list of 100 women power players in Hollywood as well as...
served as an administrative producer.