The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) will celebrate its 25th anniversary with the November return of “Close Encounters with Master Filmmakers: Movie Talks”, featuring six films by director Jacob Cheung, selected by the filmmaker himself.

Cheung will join film critic Thomas Shin, cinematographer Wong Ping-hung and screenwriter Polly Yeung for post-screening talks about his creative journey and approach to storytelling.

Cheung made his directorial debut with “Lai Shi, China’s Last Eunuch” (1988), followed by “Beyond the Sunset” (1989), which won Best Film and Best Screenplay at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Both reflect his humanistic approach, as do later works exploring women’s lives and relationships, including “Intimates” (1997) and “Midnight Fly” (2001), featuring an acclaimed performance by Anita Mui.

The programme also highlights Cheung’s versatility. “Always on My Mind” (1993) blends dark humour with a family’s struggle for financial security, while “Rest on Your Shoulder” (2011) brings a fantastical twist to humanism through a woman who becomes a butterfly and discovers a cure for a pandemic in the insect world.