UK PREMIERE

An old school anthology consisting of three short films, Tales from the Occult is the first in a new omnibus series about the hidden horrors that lurk behind the urban landscape of Hong Kong. The first instalment brings together three directors, including a veteran filmmaker, a rising talent and another making his directing debut for a trio of tales that mix urban menace, dark satire and grisly twist - The Mall (directed by Fruit Chan), The Tenement (directed by Fung Chih Chiang) and The Chink (directed by Wesley Hoi).

In The Mall, while hosting a live stream that introduces a new shopping mall for potential entrepreneurs, a YouTuber is confronted by an influencer who specializes in exposés. Meanwhile, a masked avenger also roams the halls of the mall, setting the scene for a shocking denouement about a terrifying incident that happened before the mall’s renovation.

On the stairwell of The Tenement, a soaked mystery figure in a raincoat is blocking the exit. As it slowly creeps upstairs, the building’s remaining residents suspect that it’s the spirit of a drowning victim. A bold but cautious novelist and her fellow residents turn to a former triad assassin living on the 5th floor for help.

The Chink follows a young pop star who moves into a new home to have more time with her married boyfriend. However, her plan backfires as her mental health deteriorates. Distressed and driven to the edge, she can’t tell whether she is suffering a relapse of her depression, or if she is being haunted by a menacing ghost.

About Fruit Chan:

After entering the film industry in the early 1980s as an assistant director, Fruit Chan directed his first feature in Finale in Blood (1993). He later drew acclaim with films including the acclaimed Made in Hong Kong (1997), Durian, Durian (2000) and Hollywood Hong Kong (2001), building a reputation as one of Hong Kong’s best contemporary directors, winning awards at festivals around the world. Following a diverse range of films including The Midnight After, Three Husbands and Coffin Homes, Chan continues his work in the horror genre with Tales from the Occult.

About Fung Chih Chiang:

Fung Chih-chiang started out in film as an assistant director and joined broadcaster TVB as a scriptwriter in the mid-1990s. Fung later became a screenwriter known for working on Stephen Chow comedies including Shaolin Soccer (2001) and CJ7 (2008), and made his directorial debut with The Bounty (2012) before going on to helm hits including The Midas Touch (2013) and A Witness out of the Blue (2019)

About Wesley Hoi:

Wesley Hoi studied multimedia production at Nottingham Trent University, and has worked in film and TV for the past 20 years. Based in Macau, he provides advertising and film production services and is active as a scriptwriter. Tales from the Occult is his first film as director.

Cast:
Richie Jen, Cherry Ngan, Jerry Lamb, Cecilia So, Lawrence Cheng