Leung Ming Kai

Leung Ming Kai
梁銘佳
Leung in November 2020
Born
Leung Ming Kai

Hong Kong
Education
Occupations
  • Cinematographer
  • Director
Years active2009–present
Spouse
Kate Reilly
​
(m. 2012)​

Leung Ming Kai (Chinese: 梁銘佳) is a Hong Kong cinematographer and filmmaker. Graduating with a law degree from the University of Hong Kong, Leung proceeded to study filmmaking at Columbia University and debuted as a film cinematographer in Southeast Asia. He subsequently returned to Hong Kong and produced the anthology film Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down (2019), earning Best Screenplay in the 27th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award. He also cinematographed drama films Drifting (2021) and The Sunny Side of the Street (2022), which garnered him nominations for Best Cinematography in the 58th and 59th Golden Horse Awards respectively.

Early life and education

Leung was born in Hong Kong.[1] His father was a taxi driver and later also operated a hi-fi shop in Sham Shui Po.[2] Leung attended kindergarten and grew up in that area.[2] While studying law at the University of Hong Kong, he developed his passion for films after participating in several film workshops.[2] He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws in 2001 and 2002, respectively, but chose not to pursue a career in law.[3] He attended Columbia University to study filmmaking instead, and obtained a Master of Fine Arts in Film with a specialization in directing in 2006.[4][5] His graduation project, Three Boys, won the gold prize in the 14th ifva Awards.[4]

Career

After graduating from Columbia University, Leung began his career as a cinematographer, making his feature debut with Thai director Anocha Suwichakornpong's 2009 drama film Mundane History.[4] He continued to work as a cinematographer on various international projects,[4] including the 2015 Taiwanese drama film Murmur of the Hearts.[6][7] He also cinematographed Suwichakornpong's 2016 drama film By the Time It Gets Dark and the Chinese-Canadian drama film Old Stone,[4][8] for which he received a nomination for Best Cinematography in the 5th Canadian Screen Awards.[9]

In 2014, Leung participated in and documented the 2014 Hong Kong protests.[10] Motivated by this experience, he co-wrote a screenplay draft with his wife, Kate Reilly, upon returning to the United States. The screenplay later evolved into the film Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down [zh].[2][10] Applying for funding from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, the couple co-directed and co-wrote the anthology film.[6][10] Leung also took on the roles of cinematographer and editor for the production.[11] Due to political censorship by the Hong Kong government following the 2019-2020 Hong Kong protests, cautionary warnings were included in the opening credits when the film was theatrically released in 2020.[12] Reilly and Leung received the 27th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best Screenplay for the film.[13][14] After the completion of Memories to Choke On, Leung shifted his focus to Hong Kong cinema.[2] He served as the cinematographer for the 2020 drama film Suk Suk directed by Ray Yeung.[15][16] Leung filmed the 2021 drama film Drifting,[17] earning him a nomination for Best Cinematography in the 58th Golden Horse Awards.[18] He continued working as the cinematographer for the 2022 drama film The Sunny Side of the Street,[19] earning him another nomination for Best Cinematography in the 59th Golden Horse Awards.[20] Leung once again took on the role of cinematographer for Ray Yeung's 2024 drama film All Shall Be Well.[21]

Personal life

Leung is married to Kate Reilly in 2012, an American actress-producer he met in New York during his studies abroad in 2003.[1][13] The couple has resided together in Hong Kong since 2015.[1] Reily co-directed, co-wrote, co-edited, and starred in Leung's directorial debut Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down.[7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Cinematographer Director Writer Notes
2009 Mundane History Yes No No [22]
2012 What Isn't There Yes No No [23]
2014 Ek Hazarachi Note Yes No No [24]
2015 Les Aventures d'Anthony Yes No No [4]
Murmur of the Hearts Yes No No [7]
2016 By the Time It Gets Dark Yes No No [25]
Old Stone Yes No No [8]
2019 Krabi, 2562 Yes No No Documentary[26]
Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down [zh] Yes Yes Yes [6]
2020 Suk Suk Yes No No [15]
2021 Far Far Away Yes No No [27]
Drifting Yes No No [17]
2022 The Sunny Side of the Street Yes No No [19]
A Light Never Goes Out Yes No No [28]
2024 All Shall Be Well Yes No No [21]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2017 5th Canadian Screen Awards Best Cinematography Old Stone Nominated [9]
2019 27th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award Best Screenplay Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down [zh] Won [14]
2021 58th Golden Horse Awards Best Cinematography Drifting Nominated [18]
2022 59th Golden Horse Awards The Sunny Side of the Street Nominated [20]

References

  1. ^ a b c "夜香·鴛鴦·深水埗專訪｜王宗堯、導演Kate 鴛鴦碰檸茶 濃得化不開的港味". am730 (in Chinese). 23 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e Wong, Peter (28 February 2021). "專訪夫妻檔導演梁銘佳及Kate Reilly，細談作品《夜香‧鴛鴦‧深水埗》". Vogue Hong Kong (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  3. ^ "[來自法律系的電影導演] 梁銘佳 (LLB 2001, PCLL 2002)". University of Hong Kong (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f 何阿嵐 (11 December 2016). "【專訪】電影攝影師梁銘佳 用光影與導演一同書寫故事". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  5. ^ Simonian, Joséphine (1 March 2024). "Columbia Filmmakers Win Big at 2024 Berlinale". Columbia University School of the Arts. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  6. ^ a b c Edmund, Lee (17 November 2020). "Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down movie review: omnibus feature offers breezy, bittersweet slices of Hong Kong life". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 14 January 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  7. ^ a b c "《夜香．鴛鴦．深水埗》：四個小故事，堆砌香港的混雜與人情味". ETNET (in Chinese). 23 November 2020. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  8. ^ a b Lee, Maggie (18 February 2016). "Berlin Film Review: 'Old Stone'". Variety. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  9. ^ a b Furdyk, Brent (17 January 2017). "2017 Canadian Screen Awards nominees revealed". Global News. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  10. ^ a b c "最佳編劇 梁銘佳、Kate Reilly ： 「生活就是政治，笑著應對痛苦。」". HK Feature (in Chinese). 8 April 2021. Archived from the original on 7 December 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  11. ^ "《夜香‧鴛鴦‧深水埗》 港味電影 小心輕放". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 22 May 2020. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  12. ^ 馬家輝 (1 December 2020). "電影前的警告". Ming Pao (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  13. ^ a b Mok, Charmaine (6 November 2022). "What food tells you about a person that words can't – foodie film couple on their obsession, and building movies around it in Hong Kong". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 10 December 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  14. ^ a b 王誦賢 (18 January 2021). "【電影評論學會大獎】完整得獎名單出爐 鞏俐奪最佳女演員". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  15. ^ a b Chatterjee, Pramit (23 October 2020). "Virginia Film Festival 'Twilight's Kiss' Review: A Meditative Look At Aging And LGBTQ Representation". Mashable. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  16. ^ 莫匡堯 (15 December 2024). "《叔叔》導演新作探討女同志壓力 邀李琳琳出山入選柏林影展". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 4 February 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  17. ^ a b "《濁水漂流》：香港味道的《浪跡天地》". The News Lens (in Chinese). 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2 December 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  18. ^ a b "'Drifting' most nominated for Golden Horse". Taipei Times. 7 October 2021. Archived from the original on 28 November 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  19. ^ a b 采昌 (29 May 2023). "《白日青春》黃秋生演藝生涯巔峰代表作！以難民議題揭開香港隱祕暗角". Marie Claire (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  20. ^ a b Lee, Edmund (28 September 2022). "Golden Horse Awards 2022 nominations: Limbo leads Hong Kong contingent at Taiwan film event despite warning from the city's industry body". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  21. ^ a b Kiang, Jessica (25 February 2024). "'All Shall Be Well' Review: A Found Family is Lost in a Tender But Tentative, Queer-Themed Grief Drama". Variety. Archived from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  22. ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (12 December 2010). "In My Father's House, That Airless, Bitter Place". New York Times. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  23. ^ "After 10 years, Marie Jamora presents her dream film 'Ang Nawawala'". GMA Network. 4 June 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  24. ^ Menon, Heena Grover (21 May 2014). "Creating magic behind the camera". Daily News and Analysis. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  25. ^ Hsu, Clarence (28 October 2016). "'By the Time It Gets Dark' ('Dao Khanong'): Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 29 January 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  26. ^ Kaufman, Sophie Monks (1 June 2020). "Krabi, 2562 Review". Empire. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  27. ^ "《緣路山旮旯》團隊舉辦「香港真係好靚」攝影比賽 得獎者可參加電影首映". am730 (in Chinese). 13 July 2022. Archived from the original on 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  28. ^ 莫匡堯 (16 April 2023). "燈火闌珊︱四位新晉導演影人聯合謝票 曾憲寧祝願︰燈火唔係虛火". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.