A
birthday wish can mean a lot to some people. A simple
message from people who are special to you – it’s
a sign that they remember, they care. But the waiting
process can be a painful one, as the characters from Jungle
Ma’s latest movie will tell you.
Based on a short story by Rene Liu, Happy Birthday chronicles
a 10-year relationship between two people which persists
on the foundation of annual birthday greetings. Liu
and Louis Koo play the star-crossed couple in this romance
drama.
In Singapore recently to promote the movie, the press
conference sees the radiant and postured Liu and the
tanned and nonchalant Koo tickling the media with their
jibes at each other’s command of language. Director
Ma was also present to praise their on-screen chemistry.
Moviexclusive did not miss the chance to have exclusive
interviews with them to find out more about the film,
as well as what birthdays meant to them.
In
her pretty white top, Rene Liu breathes a whiff of freshness
into the humid and scorching hot afternoon. Having starred
in a few critically-acclaimed pictures like Sylvia Chang’s
20.30.40 (2004) and Feng Xiaogang’s A World Without
Thieves (2004), Liu tells us that she is particularly
excited about her latest film because it is based entirely
on her own written work.
Louis
Koo may be very good-looking, but he does not want you
to pay too much attention to that. In fact, his straightforwardness
tells us that this popular actor wants to be taken seriously.
His vast experience working with acclaimed directors
like Johnnie To in Election (2005), Benny Chan in Rob-B-Hood
(2006) and Derek Yee in the upcoming Protégé
is an indication that the handsome lad can adapt to
all kinds of roles.
We
got to see Sammi Cheng and Richie Ren in 2000’s
Summer Holiday. Then we were treated to Tony Leung and
Shu QI in Seoul Raiders in 2005. Jingle Ma’s feel-good
works are complemented with eye candy, which he feels
is especially important in a romantic flick like Happy
Birthday. The experienced cinematographer also shares
with us how he painted a picture of love and longing
in his latest work.
Happy
Birthday opens nationwide 25 Jan 06!
Reported & interview by John Li | Video by Linus
Tee | Photo by Lokman BS