Richard James Havis

Sally Yeh in a still from Shanghai Blues. Lively and packed with romcom tropes, it remains one of the director Tsui Hark's favourite films. Photo: Film Workshop

Lively, slapstick and packed with romcom tropes, Tsui Hark’s Shanghai Blues remains one of the director’s favourite films – and 40 years after its release, was screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

Pacita Abad in 1986 with her work Bacongo I (1983). The Filipino fabric artist's work uplifted underrepresented communities around the world but until recently was rejected by the mainstream art world.

Derek Yee Tung-sing’s crime films One Nite in Mongkok, Protégé and Triple Tap were gritty and realistic, and refused to glamorise the underworld and crime. We unpack these three classics.

Wong Jing set Hong Kong's gambling movie genre in motion in 1989. We recall three of the best, including a parody that saw the most success

Wong Jing set Hong Kong’s gambling movie genre in motion in 1989. We recall three of the best, including a parody that saw the most success.

Oxide and Danny Pang's supernatural thriller The Eye established their reputation as horror directors; two equally good sequels followed

Oxide and Danny Pang’s supernatural thriller The Eye established their reputation as horror directors; two equally good sequels followed.

An assassins’ weapon that removed heads, the fictional ‘flying guillotine’ was featured in a number of Hong Kong wuxia films.

The Crow was Lee’s best movie but he was great in this dubbed crime film, despite refusing to do kung fu in fear of comparisons with his dad.