Italian Premiere | In Competition | White Mulberry Award Candidate
Hong Kong, 2026, 86’, Cantonese
Directed by: Kwok Ka-hei, Jack Lee
Screenplay: Kwok Ka-hei, Jack Lee, Ho Siu-hong, Devon Choi
Cinematography (color): Wong Chun-wai
Editing: M.K. Li, Kwok Chun-kong
Production Design: Chan Miu-ling
Music: Tsui Chin-hung
Producers: Kwok Ka-hei, Fung Wai-sze
Cast: Ling Man-lung (Mark), Ronald Lam (Kit), Renci Yeung (Man), Peter Chan (Kim),Kenny Wong (Kenny Wong), Alan Luk (Officer Fuk), Wong Chun-kit (P.A. Wong)
Date of First Release in Territory: TBA
In Hong Kong, scriptwriters are the under-appreciated heroes of the film industry. Not only are they underpaid, it’s also not unusual for them to pull 16-hour days in writers’ rooms and do rewrites on sets during film shoots, no matter how nonsensical their bosses’ ideas are. While that “throw everything and see what sticks” approach works for some directors, it often leads to wild plot twists that strain credibility, and scriptwriters are left to take the blame. Even director Derek Yee called out the industry for undervaluing screenwriters at the Hong Kong Film Awards one year when the Best Screenplay award was hastily presented as the ceremony’s first award.
That’s why we should all hope that Kwok Ka-hei and Jack Lee’s
Unidentified Murder will earn newfound appreciation for Hong Kong’s screenwriters. Even long before its wide theatrical release, the indie comedy has already been scooping up Best Screenplay honours during Hong Kong’s award season this year. Intricately structured with surprises waiting at every turn,
Unidentified Murder is a writer’s film that could only be achieved by thoughtful and creative planning. It’s the type of film that you don’t want to spoil for your friends so they can experience it for themselves, too.
However, I should at least reveal the setup: To prank her boyfriend Mark (Ling Man-lung), vapid influencer Man (Renci Yeung) hires professional actor Kim (Peter Chan) to pose as Mark’s long-lost childhood friend, who supposedly went missing after being kidnapped by aliens many years ago. While watching the “reunion” from afar, she witnesses Mark and his best friend Kit (Ronald Lam) murder Kim, setting off a cat-and-mouse chase in the woods.
However, nothing is what it seems in the script by Kwok, Lee, Ho Siu-hong and Devon Choi. Like an onion slowly revealing its layers one by one, the film eventually shifts from Man to other characters’ perspectives to show the whole truth, which will indeed involve aliens at some point. The story keeps audiences gripped with its unpredictability, constantly shifting its tone from thriller to comedy to other genres. By the end, the writers even manage to wrap up the story on a surprisingly poignant message about friendship.
(By the way, the film is not
Rashomon-esque because each section tells a different piece of the whole story rather than a conflicting version of the same story. But I digress.)
Clearly inspired by other low-budget indie darlings like
One Cut of the Dead, Kwok and Lee use their extensive television and film experience to stretch their HK$3 million (US$383,000) budget (reportedly privately financed by a close friend of the production) as far and as inventively as they can. The film’s rapid pacing and many twists will make audiences forget that they are watching a film with only four locations. The cast’s over-the-top performances – especially Peter Chan’s hilariously sympathetic award-nominated performance as Kim – add to the boisterous vibe of the film.
Unidentified Murder may be a tad lightweight if it were made by an experienced filmmaker, but it is the perfect calling card for new directors like Kwok and Lee. Not only have they made a crowd-pleaser that demonstrates the importance of a good script, their ability to achieve this with such limited resources makes them a dream for Hong Kong film investors these days.
Unidentified Murder is more than just a fun passion project – it’s proof of Hong Kong cinema’s ingenuity even in difficult times.
Kwok Ka-hei
Kwok Ka-hei è un regista televisivo che ha diretto diverse serie di successo per l’emittente locale Viu TV, tra cui Ossan’s Love (versione HK), Million Dollar Family e Golden Oldies. Unidentified Murder è il suo primo lungometraggio.
Jack Lee
Jack Lee is a longtime assistant director who has worked on films such as Mermaid and I Did It My Way. Unidentified Murder is his first feature film.
FILMOGRAPHY
2026 – Unidentified Murder