The poignant Macau-set film, “Lucky’s Charm” (幸運閣), is drawing significant critical praise globally, recently culminating in a fervent Hong Kong premiere where cast and crew celebrated multiple international awards. Directed by Wong Ting-ting, the movie—which explores themes of filmmaking dreams, homecoming, and intergenerational connection—follows a protagonist’s return to Macau and her tender relationship with her grandmother.
The film’s leading actress, Cherry Ngan (顏卓靈), was honored with the Best Performance Award at the Woods Hole Film Festival in the U.S., adding to the picture’s growing list of accolades. Furthermore, Lucky’s Charm secured an impressive six nominations, including Best Feature Film, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Female Director, at the prestigious Little Venice Film Festival.
The jubilant cast—including Ngan, veteran actor Cheung Wai Hing (張惠卿), and Taiwanese star Rexon Hsiao (蕭子墨)—gathered in Hong Kong for the debut, joined by director Wong. The excitement peaked when MIRROR member Anson Kong (AK / 江𤒹生) made a surprise appearance, warmly supporting his long-time friend, Hsiao. The atmosphere was convivial, with the trio posing for photos, symbolizing the camaraderie built during the film’s production.
Global Recognition and Team Gratitude
Cherry Ngan shared her personal delight over the international recognition, noting the moment she received the award news while dining with her family felt synchronistic with her character’s journey.
“The entire team gave me a feeling of home, and everyone was genuinely happy for me,” Ngan stated. She emphasized that the greatest reward was not the individual accolade, but seeing a Cantonese story resonate across diverse global film festivals. “Even if not everyone understands Cantonese, this ordinary yet extraordinary tale can still touch souls and make people feel the magic of cinema. I am so thankful to Director Ting-ting and the creative team for completing this project with such authenticity.”
A breakout darling of the film is 84-year-old amateur actress Cheung Wai Hing, who makes her cinematic debut. When asked for a self-assessment of her performance, she burst into laughter, declaring, “100 points! The most important thing is that I learned so much and truly understood how lovely and fortunate my home is. Making this film was incredibly enriching.”
Navigating Linguistic Layers
Taiwanese actor Rexon Hsiao, who rose to fame following the success of the film Sunshine Choir, made a “flash visit” to Hong Kong specifically for the premiere. In Lucky’s Charm, which is primarily set in the 1960s Macau, Hsiao plays a complex character oscillating between reality and memory.
The film uniquely captures the life of Fujianese immigrants in Macau, requiring extensive use of Hokkien (Min-nan dialect) intertwined with Cantonese for emotional dialogue. Hsiao, fluent in Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese, English, and Korean, faced the challenge of frequent linguistic transitions.
“Each language carries a different emotional speed and manner of expression; it’s more than just delivering lines,” Hsiao explained. Leveraging his habit of auditory learning developed during his days as a trainee in South Korea, he allowed the languages to naturally integrate into his performance. He recalled listening to recordings repeatedly pre-production to master the multilingual rhythm, noting that his regular Cantonese conversations with friend Anson Kong also helped.
“This was a very special experience, and the longest I have ever stayed in Macau,” he reflected. “I focused on soaking up the city’s culture outside of filming, which created beautiful, lasting memories.”
As the Lunar New Year approaches, the Lucky’s Charm team exchanged well wishes. Ngan expressed a simple hope, “I now truly understand that happiness and health, living a simple life, is the greatest fortune.” Cheung Wai Hing humorously wished for, “Good health and longevity!” while Hsiao offered a thoughtful resolution: “I hope in the New Year, I can live even more authentically.”
Due to overwhelming demand following the premiere, additional screenings have been scheduled. A special event on February 13th will feature Cherry Ngan in a unique dialogue session with director Adam Wong (The Way We Dance), offering audiences a one-time opportunity for insight into the artistic process.
