The screening on 24 July will be introduced by Andrew Henskins, film critic and founder of easternKicks.com.

A Chinese Ghost Story is the landmark collaboration between director Ching Siu-tung and producer Tsui Hark, whose creative partnership would continue with two sequels. Loosely adapted from Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, the film reimagines a classic ghost story through an exhilarating blend of romance, horror, fantasy, action, and comedy.

Its dreamlike visual style, innovative special effects, and haunting atmosphere remain as captivating today as ever. Leslie Cheung’s unforgettable theme song and Joey Wang’s enchanting performance as the ghost Nie Xiaoqian helped cement the film’s enduring legacy. This screening is presented in a restored version.

When the timid scholar Ning Choi-san (Leslie Cheung) seeks refuge in a deserted temple, he encounters the mysterious and beautiful Nie Xiaoqian (Joey Wang) and quickly falls in love. Unbeknownst to him, she is a ghost enslaved by a sinister tree demon and forced to lure men to their deaths. With the help of a wandering Taoist swordsman (Wu Ma), Ning sets out to free her from her supernatural fate, giving rise to a poignant love story suspended between the worlds of the living and the dead.

Supported by the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office London.

Cast:
Leslie Cheung, Joey Wang, Wu Ma