This event was presented by UBC Connects at Robson Square in February 2025 in partnership with the UBC Hong Kong Studies Initiative, UBC Department of Asian Studies, SFU Institute for Transpacific Cultural Research, and Taiwan Docs.
On February 6, 2025, UBC Connects at Robson Square hosted the opening of the 2nd annual Asian Independent Cinema Showcase for the Vancouver premiere of Kissing the Ground You Walked On, an award-winning indie film from Macau.
“I think the most important thing is to be honest. I don’t want to make a film that’s too polished or too perfect. I want to show the rawness and the imperfections of life.” – Hong Heng-fai
The film, directed by Macanese filmmaker Hong Heng-fai explored themes of queer identity, diversity, and art. Following the film, a post-screening conversation with director the first Macanese director to be nominated for Best New Director at the 59th Golden Horse Awards.
Following the screening, the audience had the opportunity to engage directly with Hong Heng-fai in a live virtual conversation moderated by UBC Hong Kong Studies and Canada Research Chair, Helena Wu, and local filmmaker Jimmy Lo.
“I hope that audiences can see a different side of Macau, beyond the casinos and the tourism. There’s a rich cultural life here that’s often overlooked.” – Hong Heng-fai
The discussion touched on:
- The challenges of making independent cinema in a region with limited infrastructure for emerging filmmakers.
- The autobiographical elements of the film and their connections to Heng-fai’s personal experiences.
- How Hong Heng-fai sees his work fitting into broader conversations around Asian and queer cinema.
- The creative process behind the film, including Hong’s use of non-linear narrative and visual symbolism.
- The significance of place, particularly how Macau’s shifting urban landscape informs both the character’s inner world and the film’s aesthetic.
- Navigating queerness in a conservative society, and the role of independent film in opening dialogue around identity and representation in Asia.
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About the Film and Director
Kissing the Ground You Walked On is a deeply personal and visually striking work that has garnered international acclaim on the festival circuit. The film weaves together the story of a queer man returning to his hometown in Macau, confronting family legacies, loss, and love in a city transformed by time. Through a layered narrative and painterly cinematography, the film offers a poetic meditation on how spaces, bodies, and histories intersect.
“When people tell me the film reminded them of home—even when they’re from somewhere completely different—I feel like I’ve done my job as a storyteller.” – Hong Heng-fai
Director Hong Heng-fai is a rising voice in independent cinema from the Global South, whose work is informed by Macau’s complex colonial history and contemporary identity. His storytelling draws from deeply local realities while engaging global themes of displacement, intimacy, and resistance. His nomination for Best New Director at the Golden Horse Awards marked a historic moment for Macanese cinema.
Asian Independent Cinema Showcase
The AICS is a UBC-based film festival that aims to foster a film appreciation community within and beyond the university; cultivate media literacy and cross-cultural understanding; and give voices to independent stories told by Asian filmmakers. Broadly speaking, an “independent film” is considered to be a creative work produced outside big or mainstream studios. Through the lens of independent cinemas, the AICS is committed to serve as a participatory platform for publication and dialogue between independent storytellers, underrepresented groups, cultural practitioners, emerging talents, academics, students, and members of the public.
AICS is supported by the UBC Hong Kong Studies Initiative and co-curated by Dr. Helena Wu, Canada Research Chair and assistant professor in UBC Asian Studies and Jimmy Lo, filmmaker, film educator, and UBC alumni (MFA in Film Production).
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