Oliver Chan highlights women's issues in Hong Kong cinema

Hong Kong is known for its action-packed films, but director Oliver Chan is changing that. She focuses on women's roles and issues like motherhood. Chan gained recognition for her first film, “Still Human,” which showed the bond between a man in a wheelchair and his Filipina domestic worker. Now, she is tackling the challenges faced by new mothers in her latest movie, “The Montages of a Modern Motherhood.” In “The Montages of a Modern Motherhood,” Chan tells the story of Suk-jing, a new mother who struggles with her family's expectations and her own mental health. This film addresses tough topics, including postpartum depression and the struggles of balancing family and work. Such themes are familiar in Western cinema but are less common in Asia. Chan points out that the fertility rate in Hong Kong is one of the lowest in the world, partly due to limited support for mothers and high childcare costs. Research shows that around one-third of new mothers in Hong Kong experience postpartum depression, significantly higher than the global average. Similarly, many women in mainland China are not having more children, which could lead to economic challenges as the population ages. Chan's film was featured at the Tokyo International Film Festival's Women’s Empowerment section. She aims to portray mothers as complex individuals rather than just stereotypical characters. However, the film industry in Hong Kong has struggled since the pandemic. While blockbuster films are doing well, smaller projects face challenges in attracting audiences. Chan believes women directors are sometimes limited to specific genres like romance, and audiences are more accustomed to male perspectives in storytelling. Nevertheless, she remains optimistic about the future of female filmmakers in Hong Kong.