How ‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’ director spotlighted spirit of Kowloon Walled City

Life within the walls sparked the curiosity of filmmaker Soi Cheang Pou-soi, who won Best Director at last year’s Hong Kong Film Awards for his movie Mad Fate.

“After doing some research, I realised the Walled City was more than just an ungoverned settlement depicted in photographs and movies,” the 51-year-old director said. “Yes, it was dirty, teeming with rats, and had a strong odour. But I also saw the connections between people.”

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Cheang’s beloved neo-noir action thriller Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In has brought to life the warmth and camaraderie within the fabled slum, sparking a new generation’s interest in this part of Hong Kong history.

Based on the local comic City of Darkness co-created by Yuyi and Andy Seto, the two-hour film set in the 1980s follows a troubled migrant from China, caught between rival gangs as he finds a second home in the Walled City.

Featuring acclaimed actor Louis Koo and rising film star Terrance Lau Chun-him, the movie has become Hong Kong’s second-highest-grossing film of all time, with its earnings surpassing HK$1 billion.

Last month, the local hit was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and received overwhelming support from the audience there.

“I seem to have found the way to communicate with the audience through nostalgia, the emotions we shared or the problems we faced in that era,” Cheang said.

When Cheang moved from Macau – which was much quieter at the time – to the overpopulated Sham Shui Po district in 1983, he was shocked by the bustling city.

“The first things that hit me were the noise and chaos. When I first stepped out of Mong Kok MTR station, I felt like the world was insane,” he said.

Cheang never visited the Kowloon Walled City, but his first impression of the enclave came from a family anecdote: when his older sister broke her tooth on a bus, their mother suggested visiting the Walled City for cheaper dental care, but his sister refused to go.

Originating as a Chinese military fort during the Song dynasty, Kowloon Walled City eventually became a haven for migrants from mainland China after World War II. As the British colonial government largely ignored the area, the neighbourhood was held together by a system of self-governance and once accommodated over 30,000 residents within its 2.7-hectare area.

In 1987, the Chinese government and the British colonial government announced plans to tear down the settlement. After residents were evicted, demolition began in 1993.

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Besides adapting existing materials for the film’s script, Cheang also had to create a set that emulated the intricate structures within the settlement.

He noted: “Finding old things is very difficult in this city, where preserving the past isn’t a priority.”

Cheang bought old comic books and VHS tapes from collectors and negotiated with residents for their traditional carved metal gates. “Luckily, we had a great art department; they worked tirelessly on this set and even went around collecting trash,” he recalled.

“For a while, our company stored over 30 ceiling fans ... Our team even dismantled flights of wooden stairs from buildings,” the director said.

He added that his favourite part of the HK$50-million set was the 60-metre-long main street, which he believed embodied the Walled City’s “lively essence and flavour”.

The film also drew attention from the Hong Kong government, which had considered transforming parts of the now-demolished set into a tourist attraction.

“We all hope to see this happen ... But filmmaking and exhibitions are two different things. It’s a pity that it is gone, but this is the reality. Rebuilding it inside a museum would be more feasible,” Cheang explained.

What has resonated deeply with audiences is how the film brings back Hong Kong of the 1980s: noodle-makers bouncing on dough with bamboo poles, dessert stalls steaming trays of red bean sticky rice cakes, and neighbours gathering around a single television.

With Yoyo Shum’s soft ballad “The Shape of Wind” playing in the background and reflecting on the meaning of home, these scenes were placed in the film’s end credits to transport audiences back in time, Cheang said.

“It’s about feeling that sense of loss,” he explained. “Demolishing a building in Hong Kong may seem simple, but it’s not just about a building – it’s about losing a culture, losing a community. When you demolish a place, those things scatter.”

While his film is a success story, Cheang highlighted the challenging landscape of the city’s movie industry.

“The current situation is still quite bleak. Occasionally one film gives audiences a bit of hope. I don’t believe it’s easy for Hong Kong’s film industry to return to its golden age,” he said.

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The humble director’s advice for the city’s budding filmmakers is to “be bold in trying and cautious in filming” and encouraged them to challenge the old ways.

“We shouldn’t impose our expectations on young people. They should pursue whatever inspires them.”

As the film is slated to be part of a trilogy, Cheang revealed the prequel would be set in the 1950s, delving into the early years of characters portrayed by Louis Koo and Aaron Kwok, while the sequel would follow the lives of the younger characters after the Walled City is demolished.

The director shared: “What will become of these four young people without their anchor ... losing support or emotional refuge after it is demolished? How will they fare as they step out into the world?”