KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Joey Wu is among a new generation of Hong Kong filmmakers bringing fresh perspectives and stories to the screen, helping to shape the city’s new wave of cinema.
Bird of Paradise, her debut feature, was among the selections for the Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation 2026 in Kuala Lumpur and was screened on August 22 at Aurum Theatre, The Exchange TRX.
The dramedy had also reached audiences in the Klang Valley last month as part of the ninth annual Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest), held in July.
The film stars Catherine Chau, Elaine Jin, Peter Chan, Yeung Nga Man, and Jayden Cheung.
The story centres on Yuen (Chau), a housewife who breaks away from her monotonous domestic life by secretly taking up pole dancing, setting her on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment while challenging family expectations and her relationship with her conservative husband.
From conversation to a university project and now a feature film
Behind the story is a deeply personal inspiration for Wu — a conversation with her mother about life and pursuing one’s dreams.
Speaking to Malay Mail, Wu said the idea came from a conversation she had with her mother about the meaning of life.
“I wrote this story for my mum.
“The story was inspired by a conversation I had with her.
“One day, I asked her, ‘What is your meaning of life?’ and she simply said, ‘If you guys come home for dinner, that’s my meaning of life.’
“I felt quite complicated about that because I really hoped that she could live for herself,” Wu shared.
She added that her mother had loved playing the piano when she was young but never had the opportunity to learn.
When Wu encouraged her mother to take up piano lessons, her mother initially resisted, feeling that she was too old and would be ridiculed.
“That’s why I decided to write this story.
“I wanted her to know that no matter what age you are, you can still do whatever you want.”
What began as a university assignment eventually grew into a feature film, although Wu initially had no intention of taking the project to the big screen.
“I randomly wrote the script as a university assignment, submitted the project, and then I received funding from the government, which then took years to make.
“I never actually thought about making a movie.
“It was like a random miracle that happened to me,” she shared.
Malaysia on the radar
Wu’s experience in Malaysia has also left her open to returning to the country for future projects, particularly as Malaysia continues to attract international productions.
She noted that many people in the Hong Kong film industry had praised Malaysia as a good place to shoot films, particularly because of its flexibility in production.
“I’ve heard from many people in the film industry that Malaysia is a really good country to shoot movies,” she said.
Reflecting on her current visit, Wu also praised the warmth of local people and production crews.
“I’ve found that many of the people here are very friendly, including the staff. It’s a very friendly country,” she said.
Looking to what’s next
As Wu continues to develop her career as a filmmaker, Bird of Paradise has allowed her to explore social issues and stories centred on ordinary people.
She also highlighted how a new generation of Hong Kong filmmakers is increasingly moving towards stories centred on social issues, rather than focusing predominantly on action, police or gangster films as seen in the past.
While Wu currently has no plans for her next feature, she said she wants to experience more of life before deciding what stories she wants to tell next.
For now, her focus remains on Bird of Paradise, as she hopes to travel to other parts of the world to share and promote the film.
Reflecting on her journey so far, she said: “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to travel around the world and share the movie with audiences.
“For me, I really love film, so being able to meet different audiences and promote Bird of Paradise has been a very meaningful journey for me,” she concluded.