Where the Wind Blows

Where the Wind Blows (Chinese: 風再起時), previously known as Theory of Ambitions, is a 2022 Hong Kong crime thriller film written and directed by Philip Yung and starring Aaron Kwok and Tony Leung Chiu-wai respectively as Lui Lok and Lam Kong, two notorious corrupt Hong Kong police officers during the 1960s.

For the 1999 single, see Kaze ga Soyogu Basho.
Not to be confused with When the Wind Blows (disambiguation).

Where the Wind Blows
Official film poster
Traditional Chinese風再起時
Simplified Chinese风再起时
Literal meaningWhen the wind rises again
Hanyu PinyinFēng zài qǐ shí
JyutpingFung1 Zoi3 Hei3 Si4
Directed byPhilip Yung
Written byPhilip Yung
Screenplay byEffy Sun
Produced byJulia Chu
Peggy Lee
Patrick Tong
Kingman Cho
StarringAaron Kwok
Tony Leung
CinematographyChin Ting-chang
Edited byMatthieu Laclau
Zhang Yifan
Kwong Chi-leung
J. Him Lee
Zhang Zhao
Music byDing Ke
Production
companies
Mei Ah Film Production
Dadi Century (Beijing)
Dadi Film Distribution (HK)
Mei Ah Media (Beijing)
Bona Film Group
Beijing Lajin Film
Global Group Films
Tianjin Maoyan Weiying Culture Media
Dadi Century (Tianjin)
Mei Ah Entertainment Development
Shanghai Bona Cultural and Media Company
Beijing New Unlimited Films
Zhongming Shengshi (Shenzhen) Film Group
Gate Ventures PLC
Golden Gate Movie
Distributed byMei Ah Entertainment
Release dates
  • 15 August 2022 (2022-08-15) (HKIFF)
  • 17 February 2023 (2023-02-17) (Hong Kong)
Running time
144 minutes[1]
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese
BudgetUS$38 million[2]

Originally set for release at the end of 2018,[3] the film's release was delayed due to trouble getting approved by the National Radio and Television Administration.[4] The film was scheduled to make its world premiere and open the 45th Hong Kong International Film Festival on 1 April 2021, but was pulled from the lineup three days before.[5][6][7] The film made its world premiere the following year and opened the 46th Hong Kong International Film Festival on 15 August 2022 instead.[8] The film was theatrically released in Hong Kong on 17 February 2023.[9]

Where the Wind Blows was selected as the Hong Kong entry for Best International Feature Film at the 95th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.[10]

Plot

Lui Lok (Aaron Kwok) became a police officer in order to uphold justice. However, rampant corruption within the police force made it impossible for him to remain independent. As a result, he decides to make a name for himself within the police force by controlling organized crime.

Nam Kong (Tony Leung Chiu-wai), who seems like a gentleman on the surface, operates with a dagger under his cloak. He is socially active among the police force as well as in social circles, laying the groundwork for the empire of corruption he builds with Lui. Nam and Lui, the brains and the brawn working in perfect unison, respectively become Chinese Chief Detective of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon / New Territories in 1962. They lord over organized crime, and lead tens of thousands of policemen.

Nam has long seen through Lui's cynicism and naiveté, and has been plotting a hostile takeover of power. When Lui discovers that everything is not as he had imagined, he vows to forcibly regain controlling leadership from Nam.

Cast

Production

Development

The project was first announced at the 2017 Hong Kong Filmart in March 2017 slated to respectively be directed by and star Philip Yung and Aaron Kwok, whom have both previously collaborated in the 2015 film, Port of Call.[11]

In August 2017, it was announced that Tony Leung Chiu-wai has joined the cast, along with Patrick Tam and Michael Chow. Kwok, Leung, Tam and Chow will portray the "Four Great Sergeants" (四大探長) of Hong Kong who were notorious for accumulating mass wealth from corruption.[12]

Filming

Filming for Where the Wind Blows began in October 2017. The film later held its production commencement ceremony press conference on 13 November 2017.[13][14] Kwok, who portrays Lui Lok in the film, has previously portrayed Lui's fictional son, Bill Lee, in the 1991 film, Lee Rock II, which starred Andy Lau as Lui.[14]

Release

Where the Wind Blows made its world premiere and opened the 46th Hong Kong International Film Festival along with the film Warriors of Future on 15 August 2022[8][15] before its wide theatrical release on 17 February 2023 in Hong Kong.[9] The film was originally set to be released globally by the end of 2018 with Mei Ah Entertainment handling the film's distribution and launching sales operations for the film at the 2017 American Film Market.[3][16] However, the film's release was delayed as it was unable to get approval from the National Radio and Television Administration due the film's plot dealing with corrupt policeman and triads.[4] The film was approved in late 2020 and was scheduled to make its world premiere as one of the two opening films of the 45th Hong Kong International Film Festival on 1 April 2021, but had its screenings cancelled on 29 March at its producers' request, citing "technical reasons".[5][6][7] The film released a trailer at a national theater promotional event in October 2021.[17]

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Nominated work Result
2023 Asian Film Awards Best Actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai Won[18]
Best Supporting Actor Michael Hui Nominated
Best Art Direction Bill Lui, Andrew Wong Nominated
2023 Hong Kong Film Awards Best Supporting Actor Michael Hui Won
Best Cinematography Chin Ting-chang, Meng Qing, Tsui Siu-kong Nominated
Best Art Direction Bill Lui, Andrew Wong Won
Best Costume & Makeup Design Dora Ng, Petra Kwok Won
Best Action Choreography Wong Chi-man Nominated
Best Original Film Score Ding Ke, Sara Fung Chi-han Nominated
Best Sound Design Tu Duu-chih, Wu Shu-yao Nominated
Best Visual Effects Shigeharu Tomotoshi Nominated

See also

References
  1. "Where the Wind Blows (15)". BBFC. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  2. "Filmart 2021: The hot projects from Hong Kong and China".
  3. "Global Group Films Links with Tony Leung and Aaron Kwok for 'Theory of Ambitions'".
  4. "郭富城、梁朝偉忘了33年前曾共演 再合作《風再起時》擱3年終要亮相".
  5. "Where the Wind Blows - Hong Kong International Film Festival".
  6. "The 45th Hong Kong International Film Festival to Open with Where the Wind Blows (TBC) and Septet: The Story of Hong Kong and Close with Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy".
  7. Frater, Patrick (29 March 2021). "Hong Kong Film Festival Cancels Opening Movie, Citing Unspecified Technical Reasons". Variety. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  8. "Where the Wind Blows - HKIFF".
  9. "風再起時 - WMOOV電影". 22 February 2023.
  10. Ntim, Zac (27 September 2022). "Oscars: Hong Kong Submits Crime Thriller 'Where the Wind Blows' To International Feature Race; Estonia Picks 'Kalev'". Deadlink. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  11. "Filmart: Wilson Yip martial arts zombie mash-up leads Mei Ah slate".
  12. "Aaron Kwok to team up with Tony Leung Chiu-Wai in 'Theory of Ambitions'".
  13. "Aaron Kwok and Tony Leung looking forward to filming - Yahoo".
  14. "【風再起時】郭富城梁朝偉演四大探長揭60年代貪警縱橫黑白兩道". 13 November 2017.
  15. "'Where The Wind Blows', 'Warriors Of Future' to open Hong Kong film festival".
  16. "AFM: Philip Yung's 'Ambitions' Picked up by Mei Ah (EXCLUSIVE)". November 2017.
  17. 沈洛嘉 (23 October 2021). "《風再起時》全國推介會首爆預告 「聰明人知道甚麼不該做」". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 28 December 2021.
  18. Shackleton, Liz (12 March 2023). "'Drive My Car' Wins Best Feature At Asian Film Awards; Tony Leung Takes Best Actor, Asian Contribution Award". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
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