bc magazine

Counting Frames – David Bordwell

In memory of David Bordwell, a well-known film historian and Hong Kong film confidant who passed away in early 2024, the Hong Kong Film Critics Society has organised a commemorative exhibition, How Not to Be Crazy – Bordwell Sees Hong Kong Cinema and a podcast Movies Dare to Feel That. The event runs from November 18, 2025 to January 20, 2026.

A combination of film nerd and academic, the author of Planet Hong Kong: Popular Cinema and the Art of Entertainment, Bordwell had a unique eye for Hong Kong cinema. The festival features twelve classic Hong Kong films that Bordwell appreciated and analysed in detail, plus post-screening talks.

Films featured include: The Blood of Heroes (1989) and Dao Ma Dan (1986) both of which premiered in Hong Kong. The rarely exhibited The Grandmaster 3D (2013) and 無間道 Infernal Affairs, 忠烈圖 The Valiant Ones, 金枝玉葉 He’s a Woman She’s a Man, 十八般武藝 Legendary Weapons of China…

Counting Frames – David Bordwell on Hong Kong Cinema
Date: 6 December 2025 – 14 January 2026
Venue: Broadway Cinematheque, Premiere Elements
Tickets: $95

Remembrance Day 2025

As we remember all those, everyone a hero, who gave their lives to protect our freedoms…

It is scary and sad to see how many people in UK, Europe and the US seem to have forgotten why they died… Time to stand up to the fascists and those who profit off the algorithms that fuel hate.

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

Hong Kong 1-1 Bangladesh

Hong Kong conceded a late equaliser as Bangladesh grabbed a share of the points at the Kai Tak Stadium in front of over 45,000 fans.

Matt Orr scored for Hong Kong, who remain top of the group after 4 games.

Hong Kong v Bangladesh – AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers
Date: 8pm, 14 October, 2025
Venue: Kai Tak Stadium, Hong Kong

images: HKFA

Bar Leone Named World’s Best Bar…

At an event in Hong Kong, sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourist Board, “The World’s 50 Best Bars” this week announced Hong Kong’s Bar Leone as the World’s Best Bar in 2025.

Bar Leone is certainly a good bar – sadly now to be drowned in people wanting to say they’ve ‘drunk in the World’s Best Bar’! – but is it the World’s Best? Sadly, The World’s 50 Best Bars website doesn’t list any criteria to support the award.

What constitutes ‘best’ is apparently left to the judgment of 800 “drinks experts”. Each voter casts eight votes based on their best bar experiences of the previous 18 months, with a maximum of five bars in their own country. The list is the result of a simple vote count – no totals are released. No breakdown of where the ‘experts’ are from or how many are based in each country/region.

So congratulations to Bar Leone and the other bars on the list, but take the list with a large pinch of salt and get out and explore different bars to find those you enjoy.

Bar Leone
11-15 Bridges Street
Central
Hong Kong
Open: Tuesday-Sunday 17:00-late
No Reservations

images: The World’s 50 Best Bars

Bangladesh 3-4 Hong Kong

Raphaël Merkies completed his hat-trick in the 11th minute of added time to give Hong Kong all three points with a 4-3 victory over Bangladesh in the AFC Asian Cup qualification game in Dhaka.

Bangladesh v Hong Kong – AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers
Date: 8pm, 9 October, 2025
Venue: Bangladesh National Stadium, Dhaka

images: HKFA

80 Years Ago Today, Japan Surrenders in Hong Kong

16th September, 1945

RIP to all the HongKongers that died – Never Forgotten!

And there are not words enough to thank the troops – those who lived as well as those who died – who freed Hong Kong from Japanese occupation.

image: national archives

T10 Wipha in Mongkok

Normally, typhoons announce themselves in Hong Kong with heavy rain… Wipha arrived, almost exactly as the HK Observatory Storm Track predicted, but with barely a splash of liquid sunshine.

And even after the T10 signal was hoisted, Mongkok was breezy but dry until late afternoon when the walls of rain arrived and I retreated indoors for warm, tasty lai cha (HK-style milk tea).

Gotta keep my hair tidy even in a typhoon

Chapeau to all the restaurant and MTR staff who stayed open to feed and transport workers and tourists alike, offering shelter from the elements.

Ryan Choi Chun-yin Wins Foil Gold

Ryan Choi Chun-yin won the foil gold medal at the Asian Fencing Championships in Bali, dominating China’s Mo Ziwei 15-6 in the men’s final.

The 27-year-old entered the tournament in fine form, and went undefeated in pool play before beating China’s Xu Jie in the semifinals and teammate Lawrence Ng Lok-wang in the quarterfinals.

Kaylin Hsieh Sin-yan Wins Epee Bronze
World No. 7 Kaylin Hsieh Sin-yan won bronze falling 15-11 to China’s Yang Jingwen in the semifinals.