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Love Lies film image; man follows woman

Love Lies

我談的那場戀愛

Panorama

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Canadian Premiere

The directorial debut of screenwriter Ho Miu-Ki (The Mermaid) is a clever catfish comedy starring Sandra Ng as the middle-aged victim of an elaborate online con game. Swept away by the possibility of love, Veronica flirts online with a man she thinks is Alain Jeunet, a handsome, charming Frenchman. Little does she know that her virtual beau is actually Joe Lee (Cheung Tin-Fu), a rookie scam artist with just enough of a conscience to feel conflicted about his crimes…

Cynical yet vivacious, Love Lies calls to mind Billy Wilder films like The Apartment—as in that consummate rom-com, satire, and romance are perfectly balanced here. Ho knowingly suggests that deception and fantasy are integral to falling in love. As the grouchy but optimistic Veronica, Sandra Ng gives a radiant performance, and Cheung is excellent as the con man who gets caught up in his own conceit. The supporting cast shines as well, with especially stellar turns from Chan Fai-Hung as arch-criminal Mr. White and Stephy Tang as his exuberant, vamp-ish underling, Joan.

 

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Director
Cast

Sandra Ng, Cheung Tin-Fu, Stephy Tang, Chan Fai-Hung, Cheung Kam-Ching

Credits
Country of Origin

Hong Kong

Year

2024

Language

In Cantonese with English subtitles

Film Contact
18+
116 min
Comedy Drama Romance Women Directors
Head Office Film Limited

Book Tickets

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Credits & Director

Producer

Chan Hing Kai, Janet Chun

Screenwriter

Ho Miu Ki, Chan Hing Kai

Cinematography

Tam Wai Kai

Editor

To To

Production Design

Alex Mok

Original Music

Day Tai

Ho Miu Ki headshot; Love Lies director

Ho Miu-Ki 何妙祺

Ho Miu-Ki started working as a screenwriter in 2008, writing films such as La Comédie Humaine (2010), Naked Ambition 2 (2014), and The Mermaid (2016), which was nominated for Best Screenplay at the 36th Hong Kong Film Awards. Love Lies is her directorial debut.

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