Jun Li (director)

{{Short description|Hong Kong film director and screenwriter}}{{Infobox person

| name = Jun Li

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|8|3}}

| birth_place = London, UK

| education = Chinese University of Hong Kong,
University of Cambridge

| occupation = Film director

| awards = Golden Horse Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (2021)

}}

Jun Li ({{Lang-zh|c=李駿碩}}; born 3 August 1991{{Cite web|title=三十而立：從一時衝動，到回歸自己——專訪導演編劇李駿碩 - 20210926 - CULTURE & LEISURE|url=https://ol.mingpao.com/ldy/cultureleisure/culture/20210926/1632596030756/%e4%b8%89%e5%8d%81%e8%80%8c%e7%ab%8b-%e5%be%9e%e4%b8%80%e6%99%82%e8%a1%9d%e5%8b%95-%e5%88%b0%e5%9b%9e%e6%ad%b8%e8%87%aa%e5%b7%b1-%e5%b0%88%e8%a8%aa%e5%b0%8e%e6%bc%94%e7%b7%a8%e5%8a%87%e6%9d%8e%e9%a7%bf%e7%a2%a9|access-date=2022-01-15|website=明報OL網|language=zh-hant}}) is a Hong Kong film director and screenwriter. Li made his feature film debut with Tracey in 2018. He won the Golden Horse Award for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 58th Golden Horse Awards in November 2021 for his second film Drifting.

Early life

Li was born in London and grew up in Hong Kong. Li originally studied architecture at the University of Hong Kong but later dropped out.{{Cite web|title=三十而立：從一時衝動，到回歸自己——專訪導演編劇李駿碩 - 20210926 - CULTURE & LEISURE|url=https://ol.mingpao.com/ldy/cultureleisure/culture/20210926/1632596030756/%e4%b8%89%e5%8d%81%e8%80%8c%e7%ab%8b-%e5%be%9e%e4%b8%80%e6%99%82%e8%a1%9d%e5%8b%95-%e5%88%b0%e5%9b%9e%e6%ad%b8%e8%87%aa%e5%b7%b1-%e5%b0%88%e8%a8%aa%e5%b0%8e%e6%bc%94%e7%b7%a8%e5%8a%87%e6%9d%8e%e9%a7%bf%e7%a2%a9|access-date=2022-01-15|website=明報OL網|language=zh-hant}} He then studied journalism and communications at Chinese University of Hong Kong. He worked as a television reporter. He later quit to obtain his Master of Philosophy in gender studies at the University of Cambridge.{{Cite web|last=Kwong|first=Wilson|date=2021-02-23|title=International Film Festival Rotterdam 2021: Interview with Director & Writer Jun Li of DRIFTING|url=https://www.filminquiry.com/jun-li-interview/|access-date=2022-01-04|website=Film Inquiry|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Hong Kong New Talents|url=https://hknt.hkiff.org.hk/en/interview-with-jun-li|access-date=2022-01-14|website=hknt.hkiff.org.hk|language=en}} He then moved back to Hong Kong and worked at the University of Hong Kong as a research assistant.{{Cite web|last=Andrew Heskins|date=2019-05-01|title=Jun Li interview: "It's like we have this adventure together" {{!}} easternkicks.com|url=https://www.easternkicks.com/features/jun-li-interview|access-date=2022-01-14|website=www.easternkicks.com|language=en-GB}}

Career

Li began making short films as a research assistant under Petula Ho at the University of Hong Kong. He and his short film Liu Yang He (2017) won the Fresh Wave Award and Best Director at the Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival.

Li made his feature film debut with Tracey in 2018 about a married trans woman transitioning in her 50s. Li was brought on later in pre-production, after another director quit the project and actors Philip Keung and River Huang have been cast. He was nominated at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Screenplay (alongside Shu Kei and Erica Li) and Best New Director.{{Cite web|last=Lee|first=Edmund|date=2019-02-12|title=Project Gutenberg leads nominations for Hong Kong Film Awards|url=https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/2185860/hong-kong-film-awards-2019-nominations-project-gutenberg-leads-race|access-date=2022-01-15|website=South China Morning Post|language=en}} Li has not received a Hong Kong government subsidy (such as the First Feature Film Initiative) for all his feature productions. He cited the lack of perceived commercial viability of LGBT films as a barrier to winning such initiatives.

His second film Drifting (2021) is about homelessness and addiction in Sham Shui Po, Kowloon. It competed at the International Film Festival Rotterdam Big Screen Competition.{{Cite web|last=Scateni|first=Serena|date=2021-02-13|title=Director on his film about life on the mean streets of Hong Kong|url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3121461/homeless-hong-kong-director-drifting-jun-li-films-faithful|access-date=2022-01-04|website=South China Morning Post|language=en}} The film was nominated for 12 awards at the 58th Golden Horse Awards, making it the most nominated film from that year. He was himself nominated Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Screenplay, winning the latter.

Style and influences

Li cites Ken Loach, Spike Lee, Stanley Kwan, and Ann Hui as his influences.

Personal life

Li is gay.{{Cite web|last=Kerr|first=Elizabeth|date=2018-11-22|title=In "Tracey," Actor-Director Jun Li Explores Trans Identity and More|url=https://zolimacitymag.com/young-and-restless-actor-director-jun-li-explores-trans-identity-and-more/|access-date=2022-01-04|website=Zolima City Magazine|language=en-GB}}

Filmography

= Directing, Writing, Editing, Producing =

class="wikitable"

!Year

!Title

!Director

!Screenwriter

!Editor

!Producer

!Notes

2017

|Liu Yang He

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Short film{{Cite web|title=Hong Kong New Talents|url=https://hknt.hkiff.org.hk/en/interview-with-jun-li|access-date=2022-01-14|website=hknt.hkiff.org.hk|language=en}}

rowspan="2" |2018

|My World

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

|Short film

Tracey

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

rowspan="2" |2021

|Drifting

|{{yes}}

|{{no}}

Plain Sailing

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

|Short film

2024

|Fly Me to the Moon

|{{no}}

|{{yes}}

2025

| Queerpanorama

| {{Yes}}

| {{no}}

| {{Yes}}

| {{Small|Selected in Panorama section of the Berlinale where it will premiere in February.{{Cite web|url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/472376 |title= Diverse perspectives and limitless creativity abound in the Berlinale Panorama|author= Vassilis Economou |date=16 January 2025|access-date=29 January 2025 |website= Cineuropa |language=en}}}}