AWARD-WINNING actress Fala Chen makes her long awaited return to Hong Kong cinema with the mind-bending psychological thriller Peg O’ My Heart. She has been missing from the Hong Kong scene as she took time out to pursue a Master’s of Fine Arts in Drama at Juilliard School in New York City, US in 2014. Chen then made the successful transition into big budget Hollywood productions post-graduation, gaining international recognition for her roles in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) as well as Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024).
Peg O’ My Heart has already made waves on the international festival circuit. The film had its world premiere at the Udine Far East Film Festival in Italy, followed by screenings at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea. Most notably, it was selected as the closing film of the 7th Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest), further solidifying its recognition.
The film is very much a labour of love for Nicky Cheung, who not only directs but also stars, writes and performs the theme song, revealed the story is inspired by real events he personally witnessed.
Cheung’s directorial excellence in Peg O’ My Hart earned him the Best Director award at the Grimmfest Film Festival in Manchester, UK, as well as the Outstanding Contribution to Film Award at MIFFest. The film also received two special jury mentions at Grimmfest – Best Scare Feature as well as Best Visual and Special Effects.
The movie is slated to open today (March 27) in local cinemas and Chen took the time to answer some media queries in an online interview. Without giving away any potential spoliers, Chen gave a brief synopsis of Peg O’ My Heart.
Dr Man (Terrance Lau), a brilliant but unorthodox psychiatrist, thrives on unlocking his patients’ deepest secrets. During a chance taxi ride, he encounters a troubled driver named Choi (Cheung). Though unable to intervene then, Man finds himself deeply disturbed by Choi’s condition. Fate brings them together again when Choi is assigned to Dr Man for a mandatory psychiatric evaluation. Haunted by nightmares and struggling to discern reality from dreams, Choi appears on the brink of collapse. Determined to help, Dr Man delves into Choi’s past and his wife (Chen), a decision that unleashes a torrent of unsettling dreams of his own.
As the lines between reality and dreams blur, Dr Man confronts a haunting question — are these nightmares a manifestation of his own buried memories or are they a chilling consequence of unearthing the dark secrets locked within Choi’s mind?
Chen was asked how she felt about acting in a psychologial thriller, a genre that is not often associated with Hong Kong cinema. She responded by saying it was a privilege to work with such a talented cast and director, as well as such an interesting and complex script that explored many themes that are not normally touched upon in Hong Kong cinema.
She also praised the special effects team for doing a remarkable job in creating the right atmosphere, befitting the film’s dark and eerie tone.
As a self-confessed neat freak, she pointed out the clever use of clutter and mess in various sets to create a sense of imbalance and chaos that is reflective of a mental breakdown.
When asked about taking a break to pursue higher education in 2014, Chen responded by pointing out: “No one improves by sitting at home. No one is born with natural acting skills. You have to constantly work to improve your art.”
Chen said the film is unorthodox for Hong Kong cinema as it deals with subjects such as bipolar characters and mental health, shining a light on a less-discussed topic.
The 43-year-old actress was also quizzed if the disturbing film had any effect on her sleep, as it dealt with nightmares and deep psychological traumas. Chen confessed she was not in the slightest bit bothered as she can fall asleep easily.
“You only have a few hours of sleep in between takes, you quickly learn to grab shut eye whenever and wherever possible,” she revealed.
The star who has also appeared in HBO’s Irma Veep, was also asked about juggling parenthood with the demands of an international film career. Stating she and her husband, French entreprenuer Emmanuel Straschnov, do their best for her young kids, making sure they spend the maximum amount of time possible with them.
Chen was asked if her eldest daughter, who is four years-old, realises her mum is a famous actress.
“She loves watching the Oscars and red carpet events with all its attendant glamour. She has seen me at such red carpet events all dressed up but she has not quite cottoned yet that I am in the entertainment industry,” she smiled.
With a career trajectory that is only going upwards, it is only a matter of time before Chen’s offspring latch onto the fact that mummy is a massive star!
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