Continuing the theme of youth in his previous works, Adam Wong focuses on the complex lives of young people in the deaf community in his latest film.

Told through the lens of three deaf adults in their twenties, The Way We Talk follows Sophie (Chung Suet-ying), who is optimistic and strives to be seen as ‘normal’; Wolf (Neo Yau), who embraces his deafness; and Alan (Marco Ng), who seems more at ease as a member of mainstream society. Despite their differing perspectives, the three friends develop a deep bond through sign language, supporting each other through life’s ups and downs. Living on the fringes of a hypocritical and often hostile society, can the three friends be their true selves, overcome the sound barrier, and use sign language to express their feelings?

The film stars hearing actors Neo Yau and Chung Suet-ying, who learned sign language for the film, alongside a debut appearance from deaf actor Marco Ng. Together, they use sign language to convey their longing for equality and mutual understanding—a message that will strike a chord with both hearing and deaf audiences.

The screening on 11 January and 9 February will be followed by a talk with director Adam Wong, moderated by M+ Assistant Curator of Moving Image Francisco Lo. The talks will be conducted in Cantonese with simultaneous interpretation in Hong Kong Sign Language.

Adam Wong (b. 1975, Hong Kong) rose to prominence as a student, winning several ifva awards for his short films. After completing his studies, he embarked on a career as an independent director and is best known for his feature films When Beckham Met Owen (2004) and The Way We Dance (2013). Many of his films focus on the trials and tribulations of young people and their struggles with societal norms. In 2014, he won the Hong Kong Film Award for Best New Director for The Way We Dance (2013). His recent works include She Remembers, He Forgets (2015) and The Way We Keep Dancing (2021).