One of the most influential filmmakers in Hong Kong cinema, Tsui Hark ignited the Hong Kong New Wave with his debut feature The Butterfly Murders (1979) and has been tirelessly creating for over 45 years. He also founded Film Workshop with Nansun Shi in 1984 to provide a training ground for film talents to unleash their creativity. With the production of a series of successful films in the 1980s and 1990s, including A Better Tomorrow (1986), A Chinese Ghost Story (1987), The Swordsman (1990), and Once Upon a Time in China (1991), Tsui revived classics and set new trends, while elevating local film stars such as Chow Yun Fat, Joey Wang, Jet Li, and Brigitte Lin to the pantheon of pop culture.

Soon after, Tsui was invited to shoot for Hollywood. While his style did not amuse the West, Tsui directed Time and Tide (2000) in Hong Kong with his signature flair, backed by American investment. In the post-millennium era, Tsui shifted his focus to the mainland Chinese market, utilising greater funds and resources to reinvent cinema. Notable titles include Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (2001), where a new record was set for CGI scenes, the Detective Dee series, and first 3D wuxia film Flying Swords of Dragon Gate (2011). A tribute to Tsui, this programme features screenings of twelve of his films and a conversation with the filmmaker and Sylvia Chang.