Benson Koo
Directing
Biography
Benson Koo (古本森) is a Hong Kong visual artist, independent film director, and bassist for the band eli (everlasting illusion). He has directed several independent short films, including “Cinema Quietude” (2021), which was shot at the abandoned Cheung Chau Theatre and screened more than twenty times in the adjacent, now-derelict soy sauce factory building. During the pandemic in 2020, he initiated the “Doomsday Phone booth” art project, collecting last words online and turning them into a video series. His first feature film, “The Perks of Being Wild” (2024), broke conventions in filming, production, distribution, promotion, and screening, presenting moving screenings across various Hong Kong communities, such as beachside kiosks, building rooftops, cafés, cha chaan tengs, stationery shops, bookstores, and dessert parlours. Through these efforts, he sought to encourage the public to reflect on the relationship between cinema and public space.
Known For
A lonely man is hired to take care of the to-be-demolished Cheung Chau Cinema. He is greeted by a dog, two kids, and a mysterious granny who calls everyday. The film was shot in the ruin of Cheung Chau Cinema, locating in Cheung Chau, an island in Hong Kong. Before saying goodbye, he organises his own screening of The One-Armed Swordsman (1967) directed by Chang Cheh.
Cinema Quietude
A devoted couple settled themselves in Hong Kong decades ago through turmoil across the border, navigated through ebb and flow together in life. Since the stroke of the wife, Yeung Ha (Brenda Chan), they were both physically and mentally weighed down. Husband Lau Choi (Ying To Li), with his unswerving affection, continues their journey to the other side of life as it vanish away.
Take Us to the Island
Summer in Cheung Chau is a hidden wonderland. Three local Cheung Chau kids and a dog break into homes of islanders who are on vacation, and of the emigrants who left for good. Marked with whimsical adventures, their journey imparts unexpected lessons about the secrets of the adult world. As the end of summer approaches, the trio is destined to part at the cruel crossroads of youth.
The Perks of Being Wild
The antidote to loneliness may be found between the two ears instead of legs. Financially ruined, Kwong is ready to go by sleeping pills, until his attention is called to a TV commercial of a sex hotline. He is connected to a female voice who calls herself Sugar, who, initially flirtatious, becomes alarmed at the weeping suicidal voice on the other end. Sugar then tries to keep Kwong on the line by sharing her own life. Inspired by an article about a disabled sex worker, the short is a tribute to these alternative sex workers.