The Sea Within

Fishermen couple Ah Shing and Mei-wah, having lived from boat to shore, stayed together for most of their lives. After their son grew up, they have different visions towards the rest of their days. Ah Shing insists on fishing amid the decline of the local fishing industry. Mei-wah works as a factory worker and wishes for a more stable life. Even when there are subtle and profound changes in their relationships due to the different views, their affections for each other never stopped and they still support each other. This story is based on the real-life experience of my parents, and they play their own character in the film.

  • Wong Wai Nap
    Director
  • Wong Wai Nap, Ho Tze Ki
    Writer
  • Ho Tze Ki
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    November 30, 2014
  • Production Budget:
    6,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Hong Kong
  • Country of Filming:
    Hong Kong
  • Language:
    Chinese
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • 2016 (ifva) Incubator for Film and Visual media in Asia
    Hong Kong
    February 27, 2016
    Gold Award
  • 2015 China Independent Film Festival
    Nanjing, Beijing
    December 26, 2015
    Best Short Film Award
  • 2015 South Taiwan Film Festival
    Tainan, Taiwan
    November 16, 2015
    Jury Award
  • 2014 Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival
    Hong Kong
    December 14, 2014
    World Premiere
    Best Film Award, Fresh Wave Award
  • 2016 Slamdance Film Festival
    Park City, Utah
    January 22, 2016
    U.S. Premiere
  • 2016 Arpa International Film Festival
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    November 6, 2016
    International Short Competition
  • 2015 Montreal World Film Festival
    Montreal, Canada
    September 2, 2015
    International Premiere
  • 2015 Cairo International Film Festival
    Cairo, Egypt
    November 14, 2015
    African Premiere
  • 2016 Busan International Short Film Festival
    Busan
    April 22, 2016
  • 2016 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    November 1, 2016
  • 2016 Montecatini International Short Film Festival
    Montecatini
    Italy
    October 1, 2016
    International Competition
  • 2016 Stuttgarter Filmwinter Festival for Expanded Media
    Stuttgart
    January 14, 2016
    European Premiere
  • 2016 Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Market
    Clermont-Ferrand
    February 11, 2016
  • 2015 World Film Festival of Bangkok
    Bangkok, Thailand
    November 19, 2015
  • 2015 Chinese Young Generation Film Forum
    Wuhan, China
    December 14, 2015
  • 2015 Kaohsiung Film Festival
    Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    November 1, 2015
  • 2015 Hong Kong International Film Festival
    Hong Kong
    March 29, 2015
  • 2016 New York Hong Kong Contemporary Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    July 17, 2016
  • 2015 Hong Kong Independent Film Festival
    Hong Kong
    January 10, 2015
  • 2016 Hong Kong Salento International Film Festival
    Hong Kong
    May 11, 2016
  • 2016 Shenzhen Fringe Film Festival
    Shenzhen
    China
    December 1, 2016
  • 2015 Macau Independent Film Festival
    Macau
    November 29, 2015
  • 2016 Macao International Documentary Film Festival
    Macao
    China
    December 1, 2016
  • 2015 The Pearl River Delta Ecocinema Festival
    Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou
    September 22, 2015
  • 2015 Kuan Du Film Festival
    Taipei, Taiwan
    October 4, 2015
Director Biography - Wong Wai Nap

Wong Wai Nap was born in Hong Kong in 1986, graduated from School of Creative Media at City University of Hong Kong; his works Walker (06), Distance (08) and Be With You (09) has participated in many international film festivals. Selected by the Golden Horse Film Academy in 2012 as one of the playwright-director, co-directing the film Xiao Ju Li (Distance) (12), which was showcased in Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival. Latest work: The Sea Within (14).

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Director Statement

The Story is about my parents and family. In the recent years, I have been working on a documentary project about local fisherman's chants. During the production, I heard many stories that make me review my identity, which inspired me to record my parents' nowadays life. Their living seems dull, but full of invisible waves. Facing social changes, they struggle with reality and their livelihood diminishes. At the same time, the couple's affection changes subtly and profoundly.