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.
Supported by
Media Partner
Sandra Ng, Cheung Tin-Fu, Stephy Tang, Chan Fai-Hung, Cheung Kam-Ching
Hong Kong
2024
In Cantonese with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
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 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.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Modern Whore
In director Nicole Bazuin's cheeky, stylized documentary, Modern Whore-memoirist Andrea Werhun (Paying for It) recounts her experiences as an escort and stripper in Toronto, debunking misconceptions about the world’s oldest profession.
Castration Movie Anthology 1: Traps
Louise Weard's underground movie is a talk-a-thon in two chapters and four hours: a sex worker contemplates having her testicles removed, and a movie production assistant pitches himself right out of a job, and other misadventures in Vancouver life.
The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes
A beautiful portrait of E.J. Hughes, who quietly helped reshape the artistic landscape of British Columbia in the 20th century. This extraordinary documentary explores Hughes’s legacy not only as an artist, but as a devoted, humble human being.
Agatha's Almanac
Shot over six years on vibrant 16mm film, Agatha’s Almanac is an artful documentary portrait of filmmaker Amalie Atkin’s octogenarian aunt, who has fashioned herself an endearingly simple and self-sustaining lifestyle on her Manitoba farm.
