While the sequel to the iconic A Better Tomorrow—which featured Chow Yun-Fat’s legendary portrayal of Mark, follows the story of Mark’s twin brother—A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon is a prequel featuring Mark’s backstory. Anita Mui plays the lead female protagonist, Chow Ying-kit, who dominates the film’s posters and plot, challenging the tradition of male-centred gangster films in Hong Kong. It is no surprise that the film was not well-received by the public. The film’s allegory of trouble in Saigon, Vietnam, was easily overlooked amidst the euphoria of Hong Kong’s late transition period. The third instalment sees Tsui Hark take over as director from John Woo, and his rewrite of the first half of Mark’s life is unconventional: we see Mui’s character gifting him his signature sunglasses and long coat, as well as teaching him his exceptional marksmanship, knowledge of the gangster world, and strong sense of justice. The role of Chow Ying-kit is singular in Hong Kong crime film and could only be played by Anita Mui with her versatile look, expressive acting, and star quality. We are delighted to be revisiting this film to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Anita Mui’s death.

The screening on 8 October will be followed by a post-screening talk on Anita Mui’s screen presence and the film’s significance in the canon by Dr Chin Pang Lei, assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Macau. The talk will be moderated by M+ Curator-at-Large of Hong Kong Film and Media, Li Cheuk-to in Cantonese.

Supported by CHANEL, complimentary tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. To redeem the offer, please select the ticket type ‘Complimentary Ticket supported by CHANEL’ when you purchase tickets. Each person can redeem up to two tickets.

Tsui Hark (b.1950, Vietnam) is a prominent figure in the Hong Kong New Wave film movement. His first film, The Butterfly Murders (1979), set out to reinvent the martial arts genre, while All the Wrong Clues (1981) cemented his reputation as a blockbuster director, and Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983) saw him bring in special effect experts from the United States to train Hong Kong filmmakers. In 1984, he set up Film Workshop with Nansun Shi and produced hits such as A Better Tomorrow (1986) and A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), before directing Once Upon a Time in China (1991) and its two sequels.

He moved into co-production in the early noughties, and his major directing credits include The Legend of Zu (2001), Seven Swords (2005), and Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010). He has also explored and mastered cutting-edge technology with 3D films such as Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011), Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (2013), and The Taking of Tiger Mountain (2014). His most recent works are The Battle at Lake Changjin (2021) and The Battle at Lake Changjin II (2022).