Josie Ho Ditches Shoes at Bangkok Premiere of Supernatural Thriller 'The Mage'
AM730 · 1 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago5 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong actress Josie Ho (何超儀) stole the show at the Bangkok International Film Festival premiere of her supernatural thriller 'The Mage' (《拾荒法師》) when she dramatically removed her shoes and ran barefoot into the theater to avoid keeping journalists waiting after a marathon press conference ran over schedule. The film, which marks the opening of the festival's Midnight section, represents the first Hong Kong production to receive this honor .
Key Points
- Josie Ho received a commemorative gift from Thai Princess Ubonrat (烏汶叻公主殿下) before the international press conference, which drew approximately 50 media outlets and 90 journalists from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong .
- Despite suffering from severe OCD in real life, Ho slept in a set constructed from two tonnes of real garbage to authentically portray a waste picker, resulting in skin rashes and inflammation .
- The production company 852 Films celebrated its 20th anniversary with this project, with producer Chan Chi-tang (陳子聰) describing the challenge of embedding Buddhist concepts of 'boundless merit' and 'human determination conquers all' into commercial cinema .
- Iman delivers a standout debut performance as an arrogant police officer whose beliefs are shattered after encountering Ho's 'Garbage Queen' character, with director Pang Fat (彭發) initially worried about the newcomer but later praising him as a natural talent .
- The film's emotionally charged one-minute single-take monologue—where Ho's character declares 'I have no father, no mother, no friends'—received a standing ovation at the screening .
Why It Matters
The success of 'The Mage' at an international film festival demonstrates Hong Kong cinema's continued ability to produce distinctive genre films that resonate with global audiences while carrying meaningful social messages about unconditional love and redemption .
The success of 'The Mage' at an international film festival demonstrates Hong Kong cinema's continued ability to produce distinctive genre films that resonate with global audiences while carrying meaningful social messages about unconditional love and redemption .