Hong Kong’s latest wordless animated feature, “Little Bug Big Adventure,” drew a star-studded audience for its charity premiere, blending family entertainment with a cross-industry artistic showcase that highlights the city’s creative solidarity.
The event, held recently at a local cinema, brought together actors, directors, and animation professionals. Among the attendees were television host Raymond Hung with his wife, model Lok Yin-no, and their two young daughters; stage veterans Poon Chan-leung and his wife, actress So Yuk-wa; and filmmaker Chan Wing-sun. Also present were several families connected to the creative community.
The premiere doubled as an exhibition, with six collaborative artworks created by director Yuen Kin-to (“The Other World”), producer-writer Yeung Bo-man, and a roster of local illustrators and studios including He Lik, Siu Ta, 924 Studio, CIN, and Morph Workshop. These pieces mixed beloved characters such as “Little Ghost” from Yuen’s earlier film with the three insect protagonists of “Little Bug Big Adventure” — a grasshopper, a butterfly, and a spider — symbolising unity across Hong Kong’s animation and comic sectors.
A Father’s Lesson on Empathy
Raymond Hung said his younger daughter, Beryl, is only two, so the family rarely takes both children to the cinema. “We go once or twice a year, maximum,” he explained. “But ‘Little Bug Big Adventure’ was absolutely worth bringing the whole family.”
After the screening, his elder daughter Amber — who turns five in December — shouted excitedly: “I loved the butterfly! I loved the movie!” Hung seized the teaching moment, telling her: “Little animals have their own stories. They aren’t just soulless insects. We have to protect them.”
Amber was previously nicknamed “sir face” for her striking resemblance to her father, but Hung noted she now looks more like her mother every day — a change he called bittersweet. “It’s a good thing she’s losing the ‘sir face’,” he said. “Her features are shifting, and she’s becoming beautiful like my wife. As a dad, I should be happy — but somehow it makes me uneasy.”
‘A Feast for the Eyes and Ears’
Actor Poon Chan-leung said he had nearly missed the event due to work, but a last-minute cancellation allowed him to attend. “This is an outstanding Hong Kong animation,” he said. “The story, the visuals, the music, the sound — everything is top-notch. I truly loved it.”
His wife, So Yuk-wa, described the experience as unexpectedly moving. “My eyes went on a holiday; my ears became pregnant with sound. I left feeling utterly refreshed and joyful,” she said. “I walked in with no expectations, and the very first shot made my heart say ‘wow’ — the animation is simply gorgeous. The entire film is a beautifully poetic, innocent journey. This is a work of international caliber, something Hong Kong should be proud of. I want to cheerlead for it. This silent film speaks the loudest words.”
Broader Impact
“Little Bug Big Adventure” — which contains no dialogue — represents a bold creative risk for its local production team. The charity premiere not only raised funds for children’s causes but also demonstrated how the city’s animation industry can collaborate across studios to promote original IP. Organisers hope the film will travel to international festivals, reinforcing Hong Kong’s reputation as a hub for imaginative, universally accessible storytelling.
The film is now playing in select cinemas.
