Fruit Chans Made in Hong Kong (Paperback)

This tragic coming-of-age story follows three disillusioned local youths struggling to navigate Hong Kong public housing projects and late adolescence amid violent crime, gang pressure, and broken homes. Their personal friendships and family lives intersect with a mysterious fourth protagonist, a girl whose suicide haunts the other three throughout the film as they move toward their own premature ends. This 1997 film was the first in Chan’s acclaimed “handover trilogy.” Shot on a very low budget, utilizing excess film stock, amateur actors, and a crew of five, it marked the beginning of Chan’s career as an independent film director.

Esther Cheung is associate professor and chair of Comparative Literature at the University of Hong Kong.