Short film celebrating the hidden world of a Hong Kong rural village. A film by Daphne Mandel and Guy Bertrand.
Synopsis
Nestled between the skyscrapers of Hong Kong, housing some of high finance’s most creative minds, and the gleaming glass and steel boxes of Shenzhen, China’s Silicon Valley where the future is being built, lies a hidden world no less exceptional.
In this lost country backwater of mountains and vegetable fields, factories still manufacture soy sauce in century old clay pots; Kenny hand makes concrete spacers that hold up some of the world’s longest suspension bridges. Cha Guo shines light on the lives of the villagers, craftsmen, farmers and business owners who make up this local village’s close-knit community. The people’s philosophy and signature are their resilience and their dedication. They embody “Made in Hong Kong” over generations. Cha Guo celebrates the heroes of Hong Kong and the fabric of what makes it and its people synonymous with warmth and the ubiquitous “can do” attitude. The title Cha Guo embodies the many narratives that connect older generations to the younger through the sharing of something savory and heart-warming. Cha guo is a homemade Chinese tea cake traditionally shared at family gatherings and celebrations. The Directors, Daphne Mandel and Guy Bertrand, set out not only to document this village life and heritage but also to capture its distinctly Hong Kong spirit.
Event Details
Date: 7 November 2025 (Fri)
Time: 7:30pm – 9:00pm
Venue: 2/F, Project House @1QRW, 1 Queen’s Road West, Sheung Wan
Quota: 25 (first-come-first-served)
Fee: HKILA members $80, Non-HKILA members $100
CPD Points: 2.0 Points (Activity Type 5, Level 2)
Registration Link: https://forms.gle/3hGujeHuGcBbLMQU9
Trailer: https://youtu.be/2Fgtf4AQo0M?list=TLGG9D5z42yFpi8xMzEwMjAyNQ
Rundown
7:15pm Registration
7:30pm Welcoming remarks
7:35pm Film Screening (37 minutes, Category 1, Cantonese, English (English (in parts) subtitles)
8:15pm Post-screening dialogue with Directors Daphne Mandel and Guy Bertrand
Light drinks and food will be served