Better Together – Partnering Up for Hong Kong Movies

The local Cantonese slang 拍住上 (paak zyu soeng, “partner up”) depicts people patting each other’s shoulders while overcoming hardships together. In film, 拍 (paak) is part of production as the camera captures stories for the silver screen.

Countless classic Hong Kong films feature characters partnering up in crisis — especially action adventures — where amity, justice, trust, suspicion and betrayal collide before forces unite against a common enemy.

Tai Kwun’s Better Together explores iterations of Hong Kong “team spirit” and “film spirit” through classics across decades, with support from the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers: the exhibition design recreates action scenes and displays on-screen props, professional action teams unveil Hong Kong-style special effects, and filmmakers recall their behind-the-scenes work.