Montages of a Modern Motherhood

Jing gives birth to an infant daughter Ching, after longing for a baby for six years with her husband Wai. After her maternity leave, Jing returns to work as a pastry chef at a bakery, while her mother-in-law helps care for Ching during the day. One day, when Jing returns from work early, she discovers her mother-in-law has bathed Ching with a {{ill|charm paper water|zh|符水}}, claiming it will make the baby healthier. Even worse, she finds out that her mother-in-law has secretly discarded her breast milk and fed Ching powdered milk instead, justifying it by saying Jing's milk is not good enough and that Ching is lighter than other babies her age. Furious, Jing confronts her mother-in-law, and they both angrily insist that Jing take care of the baby herself. Ching often cries at night and needs Jing’s attention, while Wai, seemingly indifferent, refuses to help, claiming he is deprived of sleep and nearly has an accident while working as a truck driver during the day. As a result, Jing suffers from insomnia and makes mistakes at work, leading to her boss's dissatisfaction. She starts looking for daytime nannies and eventually finds Fanny, a retired lady whose family has migrated overseas, which eases her distress.

Jing struggles to pump milk and consults a doctor, discovering she has mastitis and needs medication. During this time, Wai looks after Ching. Jing is laid off by her boss because her male colleague needs to support his family, and the boss believes Jing does not have the same obligations. Wai comforts her and promises to support her and the baby, but Jing wants to work and not give up her independence, especially after hearing from friends about the importance of women having their own financial means. She begins searching for jobs, but many bakeries reject her applications due to her status as a new mother. Worse still, Fanny informs her that she will be migrating to Canada at the end of the month, requiring Jing to find a new nanny. When Jing notices the price of formula milk has increased again, she asks Wai for more household money. He agrees but suggests she consider giving up her job to be a full-time mother until Ching is older. Jing is infuriated by Wai's dismissive attitude, which undermines her autonomy and seems to imply that raising children is solely a mother’s responsibility, leading to a clash between them. Later, when Wai hosts friends for a party to introduce them to their newborn, Ching soils her diaper, and Wai leaves Jing to change her while he continues to drink with his friends, further angering her. Unbeknownst to her, Wai is discussing opportunities with a friend who has recently opened a logistics company, hoping for a better salary to support the family.

On Fanny's last day, Jing returns to her childhood home to talk with her mother but is interrupted by her brother's children. As she delays picking up Ching from Fanny, she wanders the streets, contemplating escaping motherhood. However, when she sees a nametag with her and her baby's names, she feels remorse and rushes back to Fanny's place, apologizing to Ching before taking her home. Wai allows his mother to care for Ching while he takes Jing to the beach to relax. He informs her about his transition to the new company and his plans to have another child, asking Jing to stay home and promising to help her open her dream bakery once their children are older. Jing hesitates to respond. At last, Jing takes Ching to a riverside near their home, dreaming of her daughter growing up and graduating from university, and recalling her own hopes for Ching's health and happiness before she was born.

• Hedwig Tam as Jing, a new mother who works at a bakery
• Siuyea Lo as Wai, Jing's "clueless and insensitive" husband who works as a driver
• Janis Pang as Mei-fung, Wai's mother
• Patra Au as Jing's mother{{Cite web |url=https://eastweek.stheadline.com/focus/8056/%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E7%AF%80-%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D%E5%85%A5%E9%81%B8%E5%A5%B3%E6%80%A7%E8%B3%A6%E6%AC%8A%E5%96%AE%E5%85%83-%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E4%B8%AD%E6%80%A7%E6%89%93%E6%89%AE%E5%8A%A0%E5%BC%B7%E5%8A%9B%E9%87%8F |title=東京國際電影節｜《虎毒不》入選「女性賦權單元」 談善言中性打扮加強力量 |date=30 October 2024 |website=East Week |access-date=26 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=8 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108211232/https://eastweek.stheadline.com/focus/8056/%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E7%AF%80-%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D%E5%85%A5%E9%81%B8%E5%A5%B3%E6%80%A7%E8%B3%A6%E6%AC%8A%E5%96%AE%E5%85%83-%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E4%B8%AD%E6%80%A7%E6%89%93%E6%89%AE%E5%8A%A0%E5%BC%B7%E5%8A%9B%E9%87%8F |url-status=live }}
• Alice Fung as Fanny, a nanny who cares for Ching

Also appearing in the film are {{ill|Tai Bo (actor)|lt=Tai Bo|zh|張嘉年}} as Wai's father, along with {{ill|Johnny Hui|zh|許博文}} and Annie Man as Jing's elder brother and sister-in-law. The infant daughter Ching is portrayed by six different newborn babies on set, with each baby varying slightly in age to represent Ching from birth to six months old.

{{quote box|quote="I hope that my film can make all the mothers out there feel supported, and let them know that they're not alone if they're facing hardships similar to those portrayed in the film, and that there can be joy and sweetness in this special life stage of motherhood. I've had so many ethical dilemmas—I don't want to trigger mothers, but I also want to make sure the film is realistic and creates space for the public to discuss these unspoken issues."|source=—Oliver Chan on the themes of Montages of a Modern Motherhood|align=right|width=33%}}

In 2019, director-screenwriter {{ill|Oliver Chan|zh|陳小娟}} began writing the screenplay for Montages of a Modern Motherhood after completing production on her debut feature Still Human (2018).{{Cite web |url=https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/entertainment/oliver-chan-director-motherhood-still-human |title=Beyond Hong Kong’s cop films and rom-coms: How director Oliver Chan brings social issues around motherhood and domestic workers to the screen |date=6 November 2024 |website=Tatler Asia |last=Lo |first=Zabrina |access-date=28 April 2025 |archive-date=23 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241223083223/https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/entertainment/oliver-chan-director-motherhood-still-human |url-status=live }} She noted that the project was inspired by her changing views on motherhood after giving birth. She observed that some filmmakers assumed she would quit filmmaking or be unavailable for work due to her new responsibilities as a mother, prompting her to reflect on how Hong Kong society often emphasizes matriarchy and expects women to automatically take on the role of primary caregivers.{{Cite web |url=https://www.voguehk.com/zh/article/art-lifestyle/%E9%99%B3%E5%B0%8F%E5%A8%9F/ |title=《淪落人》、《虎毒不》導演陳小娟：跳脫出單純講出女性經驗的位置，以性別視角展現平等 |date=17 May 2024 |website=Vogue Hong Kong |last=Yu |first=Lanlan |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh}} To research for the screenplay, Chan studied child abuse cases by attending court hearings, reading online forums, academic journals, and news articles on the topic, which she described as "a montage for her script". She set the screenplay during the first six months after the baby's birth, as she found that period particularly challenging.{{Cite web |url=https://funscreen.tfai.org.tw/article/38792 |title=「拍電影再如何辛苦，還不及母親困境的百分之一」──導演陳小娟，以《虎毒不》向社會提問 |date=30 November 2024 |website=Funscreen Weekly |last1=Ho |first1=Ar-nam |last2=Ma |first2=Pony |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=10 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210043233/https://funscreen.tfai.org.tw/article/38792 |url-status=live }} Initially titled Her Lullaby, Chan began pitching the screenplay that same year. The project was presented at the Golden Horse Project Promotion in September 2020,{{Cite web |url=https://variety.com/2020/film/asia/actors-turn-directors-at-taiwan-golden-horse-project-market-1234785214/ |title=Actors Turn Directors at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Project Market |date=28 September 2020 |website=Variety |last=Chow |first=Vivienne |access-date=29 April 2025}} and at the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum in March 2021, winning the HAF Fiction Award.{{Cite web |url=https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/her-lullaby-the-catch-haf-project-market-winners-1234932580/ |title=‘Her Lullaby’ and ‘The Catch’ Head HAF Project Market Winners List |date=17 March 2021 |website=Variety |last=Frater |first=Patrick |access-date=29 April 2025}} She later named the film "虎毒不" in Chinese, derived from the idiom "虎毒不食子" (Even a tiger, though cruel, does not eat its children), explaining that she omitted "食子" (eat its children) to fit the film's open ending. For the English title, she emphasized the word "Modern", as she believed the struggles faced by the protagonist were unique to contemporary women. Development of the screenplay took place over two to three years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The original draft was described as "more brutal", focusing on a mother facing trials and imprisonment, but she scrapped it after becoming a mother herself. Chan initially adopted a tragic approach based on real-life incidents, aiming to convey a sense of hopelessness, but after overcoming her own depression, she found joy in motherhood and decided not to burden the audience or the mothers watching with additional despair. Chan designed the protagonist Jing as a pastry chef, citing reasons due to a play on the English terms "breadwinner" and "bun in the oven", and reflecting her fondness for Hong Kong pastries and a desire to document this declining industry.{{Cite web |url=https://theinitium.com/article/20250424-culture-film-montages-of-a-modern-motherhood-interview |title=《虎毒不》導演陳小娟：關於媽媽，和需要被看見的照顧者們 |date=24 April 2025 |website=Initium Media |author=黃嘉瀛 |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=23 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423231614/https://theinitium.com/article/20250424-culture-film-montages-of-a-modern-motherhood-interview |url-status=live }} She also avoided demonizing men in her portrayal of Jing's husband, who she described as a "competent father", and the character's conflict arises solely from differing expectations between him and Jing, a common issue many new couples face which Chan discovered during her research. Chan described the film's dialogue as "very Hong Kong", but emphasized that the emotional conflicts depicted are universal, aiming to use a local story to explore issues that resonate with people both within and outside of Hong Kong.{{Cite web |url=https://reading.udn.com/read/story/7009/8351394 |title=香港電影浮沉錄／《虎毒不》陳小娟導演專訪：我們這一代須要努力的方向，是補足香港電影結構上的空白 |date=15 November 2024 |website=United Daily News |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=4 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204054220/https://reading.udn.com/read/story/7009/8351394 |url-status=live }}

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Pre-production took less than a year after securing funding from an independent investor. Chan opened auditions for Jing to actresses who had and had not given birth. Hedwig Tam, who had never given birth, was officially cast by Chan six months after her audition. Chan chose Tam because she excelled at conveying depressive emotions, particularly in the numerous crying scenes present in the original screenplay.{{Cite web |url=https://hkfeature.com/artsculture/%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80-%E4%BD%9C%E7%82%BA%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E5%A5%B3%E6%BC%94%E5%93%A1%EF%BC%8C%E6%88%91%E4%B8%8D%E6%83%B3%E6%82%B2%E8%A7%80/ |title=大迷局中反諸求己 談善言：作為香港女演員，我不想悲觀 |date=27 April 2025 |website=Hong Kong Feature |author=凌梓鎏 |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=27 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250427022337/https://hkfeature.com/artsculture/%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80-%E4%BD%9C%E7%82%BA%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E5%A5%B3%E6%BC%94%E5%93%A1%EF%BC%8C%E6%88%91%E4%B8%8D%E6%83%B3%E6%82%B2%E8%A7%80/ |url-status=live }} To emphasize the maternal aspects of the character, Chan had Tam cut her hair short and wear dark-colored costumes, creating a contrast between the character's fatigue and Tam's stylish appearance. To prepare for her role, Tam gained 20 pounds starting in September 2023, two months before filming, to reflect the body of a postpartum mother.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mpweekly.com/entertainment/article/%e5%a2%9e%e8%82%a520%e7%a3%85%e6%bc%94%e6%96%b0%e6%89%8b%e5%aa%bd%e5%aa%bd%e5%9c%b0%e7%8d%84%e4%b9%8b%e6%97%85-%e8%ab%87%e5%96%84%e8%a8%80%e5%b0%8d%e6%af%8d%e8%a6%aa%e5%a4%9a%e4%ba%86%e6%84%9f |title=增肥20磅演新手媽媽地獄之旅 談善言對母親多了感恩和歉疚｜封面故事 |date=18 April 2025 |website=Ming Pao |author=溫敏芝 |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh}} She researched postpartum depression by reading books and watching films, and interviewed doctors and experienced mothers to learn about caring for newborns.{{Cite web |url=https://www.mingpaocanada.com/van/htm/News/20250419/HK-mbd1_r.htm |title=【娛樂場】《虎毒不》導演陳小娟：給新手母親一個擁抱 |date=19 April 2025 |website=Ming Pao |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=19 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250419153916/http://www.mingpaocanada.com/Van/htm/News/20250419/HK-mbd1_r.htm |url-status=live }} Fellow actress Jennifer Yu, who had just given birth, also invited her to stay at her house to learn about parenting and breastfeeding, including letting Tam to practice with her baby, and to share her conflicts with her mother-in-law. Tam's co-star Siuyea Lo, who plays a father unfamiliar with parenting, was advised by Chan not to join parenting classes or read too much about it, and he only accompanied Tam to one tutorial at Yu's house before filming.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/60233123/%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D-%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E5%A2%9E%E8%82%A520%E7%A3%85%E6%BC%94%E5%87%BA%E8%87%AA%E8%A8%80%E4%B8%8D%E9%A1%98%E7%94%9F%E8%82%B2-%E5%B0%8F%E9%87%8E%E5%B9%BD%E9%BB%98%E4%B8%80%E8%AA%9E%E9%81%93%E7%A0%B4%E5%8E%9F%E5%9B%A0 |title=虎毒不︱談善言增肥20磅演出自言不願生育　小野幽默一語道破原因 |date=26 April 2025 |website=HK01 |author=莫匡堯 |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh}} Lo initially also intended to build muscle before shooting, but he experienced a serious illness for several months and resulted in him becoming even thinner, which he later found the physique more fitting for his character.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/60226697/%E5%B0%88%E8%A8%AA-%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E5%B0%8F%E9%87%8E%E7%AB%A5%E5%B9%B4%E5%93%AD%E9%AC%A7%E6%80%A7%E6%A0%BC%E7%9B%B8%E5%8F%8D-%E8%AB%87-%E6%88%91%E5%94%94%E9%9B%A3%E6%B9%8A%E4%BD%86%E7%94%9F%E5%92%97%E5%8D%81%E5%B9%BE%E5%80%8B%E9%90%98 |title=專訪︱談善言小野童年哭鬧性格相反　談：我唔難湊但生咗十幾個鐘 |date=26 April 2025 |website=HK01 |author=莫匡堯 |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh}} The film includes a nude scene featuring Tam's character, which used prosthetics to simulate the effect, as Tam had not been pregnant and could not create stretch marks on her skin.

File:HK hiking Yuen Long District Tin Shui Wai March 2021 SSG 13.jpg in Yuen Long]]

Principal photography began in November 2023, with Chan inviting Macanese cinematographer So Wai-kin to helm the shoot. Filming primarily took place in Yuen Long, spanning two weeks in winter,{{Cite web |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/1051622/%E6%B7%AA%E8%90%BD%E4%BA%BA-%E5%B0%8E%E6%BC%94%E9%99%B3%E5%B0%8F%E5%A8%9F%E6%96%B0%E4%BD%9C-%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D-%E7%B5%A6%E6%96%B0%E6%89%8B%E6%AF%8D%E8%A6%AA%E4%B8%80%E5%80%8B%E6%93%81%E6%8A%B1 |title=《淪落人》導演陳小娟新作《虎毒不》　「給新手母親一個擁抱」 |date=27 August 2024 |website=HK01 |author=許育民 |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.am730.com.hk/%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82/-%E6%B7%AA%E8%90%BD%E4%BA%BA-%E5%B0%8E%E6%BC%94%E9%99%B3%E5%B0%8F%E5%A8%9F%E6%96%B0%E4%BD%9C-%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D-%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E6%BC%94%E6%9C%80%E5%BF%83%E7%97%9B%E6%AF%8D%E8%A6%AA%E8%A7%92%E8%89%B2/482883 |title=《淪落人》導演陳小娟新作《虎毒不》 談善言演最心痛母親角色 |date=27 August 2024 |website=am730 |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh}} where Wai's family house was located in the film.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mingpaocanada.com/TOR/htm/News/20250306/hk-gfj1_er_r.htm |title=影視看文化：看《虎毒不》——吃人的是不友善的社會 |date=6 March 2025 |website=Ming Pao |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=8 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250408150349/http://www.mingpaocanada.com/Tor/htm/News/20250306/HK-gfj1_er_r.htm |url-status=live }} Chan explained that she set the protagonists in a villa to reflect the culture of Walled villages of Hong Kong, which traditionally favored males over females. Chan and So also reached a consensus to adopt a wide-screen aspect ratio for the film, ensuring that Hedwig Tam was always at the center of the frame. Six different newborn babies were used to portray the infant daughter Ching in the film, requiring the filming schedule to accommodate their needs, such as allowing time for feeding and napping, with Chan noted that a significant amount of time on set was spent waiting for the babies to wake up or sleep.{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2025/04/hkiff-montages-of-modern-motherhood-director-talks-taboos-challenging-parenting-perceptions-hong-kong-film-funding-1236366352/ |title=‘Montages Of A Modern Motherhood’ Director Talks Taboos, Challenging Parenting Perceptions & Hong Kong Film Funding |date=11 April 2025 |website=Deadline Hollywood |last=Merican |first=Sara |access-date=28 April 2025 |archive-date=18 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250418081021/https://deadline.com/2025/04/hkiff-montages-of-modern-motherhood-director-talks-taboos-challenging-parenting-perceptions-hong-kong-film-funding-1236366352/ |url-status=live }} A courtroom scene was filmed but ultimately scrapped, with some of Tam's dialogues redistributed to other scenes in the film, including a monologue where she shares her experiences of change after becoming a mother with Fanny (played by Alice Fung) in the middle of the film.

Post-production took place in Kwun Tong, with sound design supervised by Taiwanese designers Tu Duu-chih and Chiang Yi-chen. More than 70% of the film features real baby cries recorded by the crew,{{Cite web |url=https://www.mirrormedia.mg/story/20241121ent001 |title=談善言哄嬰兒一度想當媽　演完戲退駕放下念頭 |date=21 November 2024 |website=Mirror Media |author=熊景玉 |access-date=29 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=22 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241122023100/https://www.mirrormedia.mg/story/20241121ent001 |url-status=live }} which Chan described as a "difficult technical challenge", having to balance the volume of the cries with the characters' dialogues, especially during overlapping scenes. The production team intentionally adjusted some sound levels to overlap with dialogues and allowed certain noises to emerge during moments of silence, creating a sense of constant distress for mothers. In March 2024, the film was showcased at the Hong Kong-Asia Film Financing Forum, where it won the WIP Award.{{Cite web |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/indian-animation-heirloom-midi-z-produced-the-land-is-our-navel-among-hkiff-industry-project-market-award-winners/5191553.article |title=Indian animation ‘Heirloom’, Midi Z-produced ‘The Land Is Our Navel’ among HKIFF Industry Project Market award winners |date=13 March 2024 |website=Screen Daily |access-date=28 April 2025 |archive-date=21 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321011548/https://www.screendaily.com/news/indian-animation-heirloom-midi-z-produced-the-land-is-our-navel-among-hkiff-industry-project-market-award-winners/5191553.article |url-status=live }} {{ill|Golden Scene|zh|高先電影}} acquired the worldwide distribution rights to the film in August 2024 ahead of its premiere at Busan.{{Cite web |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/golden-scene-boards-busan-competitor-montages-of-a-modern-motherhood-exclusive/5196602.article |title=Golden Scene boards Busan competitor ‘Montages Of A Modern Motherhood’ (exclusive) |date=28 August 2024 |website=Screen Daily |last=Wong |first=Silva |access-date=28 April 2025 |archive-date=3 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203131745/https://www.screendaily.com/news/golden-scene-boards-busan-competitor-montages-of-a-modern-motherhood-exclusive/5196602.article |url-status=live }}

Montages of a Modern Motherhood had its world premiere in competition for the New Currents Award at the 29th Busan International Film Festival on 7 October 2024,{{Cite web |url=https://www.screendaily.com/features/busan-2024-the-buzz-titles-from-hong-kong/5197840.article |title=Busan 2024: The buzz titles from Hong Kong |date=5 October 2024 |website=Screen Daily |last=Wong |first=Silva |access-date=24 April 2025 |archive-date=9 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241209121719/https://www.screendaily.com/features/busan-2024-the-buzz-titles-from-hong-kong/5197840.article |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://topick.hket.com/article/3828655/%E8%A8%B1%E9%9E%8D%E8%8F%AF%E7%8F%BE%E8%BA%AB%E9%87%9C%E5%B1%B1%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E7%AF%80%E9%96%8B%E5%A4%A7%E5%B8%AB%E7%8F%AD%E3%80%80%E7%9B%A7%E9%8E%AE%E6%A5%AD%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E6%94%9C%E3%80%8A%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D%E3%80%8B%E8%88%87%E9%9F%93%E5%9C%8B%E8%A7%80%E7%9C%BE%E8%A6%8B%E9%9D%A2 |title=許鞍華現身釜山電影節開大師班　盧鎮業談善言攜《虎毒不》與韓國觀眾見面 |date=7 October 2024 |website=Hong Kong Economic Times |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=8 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108190416/https://topick.hket.com/article/3828655/%E8%A8%B1%E9%9E%8D%E8%8F%AF%E7%8F%BE%E8%BA%AB%E9%87%9C%E5%B1%B1%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E7%AF%80%E9%96%8B%E5%A4%A7%E5%B8%AB%E7%8F%AD%E3%80%80%E7%9B%A7%E9%8E%AE%E6%A5%AD%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E6%94%9C%E3%80%8A%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D%E3%80%8B%E8%88%87%E9%9F%93%E5%9C%8B%E8%A7%80%E7%9C%BE%E8%A6%8B%E9%9D%A2 |url-status=live }} with Hedwig Tam and Siuyea Lo attending the industry exchange event Hong Kong Night in person.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/1064294/%E9%87%9C%E5%B1%B1%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E7%AF%80-%E8%A8%B1%E9%9E%8D%E8%8F%AF%E8%88%89%E8%A1%8C%E5%A4%A7%E5%B8%AB%E7%8F%AD-%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D-%E5%85%A5%E5%9C%8D%E6%96%B0%E6%B5%AA%E6%BD%AE%E5%A4%A7%E7%8D%8E%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1 |title=釜山電影節｜許鞍華舉行大師班　《虎毒不》入圍新浪潮大獎電影 |date=8 October 2024 |website=HK01 |author=許育民 |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=26 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250426015720/https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/1064294/%E9%87%9C%E5%B1%B1%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E7%AF%80-%E8%A8%B1%E9%9E%8D%E8%8F%AF%E8%88%89%E8%A1%8C%E5%A4%A7%E5%B8%AB%E7%8F%AD-%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D-%E5%85%A5%E5%9C%8D%E6%96%B0%E6%B5%AA%E6%BD%AE%E5%A4%A7%E7%8D%8E%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1 |url-status=live }} It was subsequently screened in the newly established Women's Empowerment section at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival,{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2024/10/tokyo-film-festival-womens-empowerment-andrijana-cvetkovikj-kanako-kondo-1236119841/ |title=Why Tokyo International Film Festival Is Putting The Focus On Women’s Empowerment |date=18 October 2024 |website=Deadline Hollywood |last=Shackleton |first=Liz |access-date=24 April 2025 |archive-date=1 November 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241101135201/https://deadline.com/2024/10/tokyo-film-festival-womens-empowerment-andrijana-cvetkovikj-kanako-kondo-1236119841/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.mpweekly.com/entertainment/article/%e7%ac%ac37%e5%b1%86%e6%9d%b1%e4%ba%ac%e5%9c%8b%e9%9a%9b%e9%9b%bb%e5%bd%b1%e7%af%80%ef%bd%9c%e8%ab%87%e5%96%84%e8%a8%80%e6%83%b3%e7%94%a8%e3%80%8a%e8%99%8e%e6%af%92%e4%b8%8d%e3%80%8b%e5%b9%ab%e5%aa%bd |title=第37屆東京國際電影節｜談善言想用《虎毒不》幫媽媽道出感受　盧鎮業靠一場戲演活「新手爸爸」 |date=3 November 2024 |website=Ming Pao |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=26 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250426015717/https://www.mpweekly.com/entertainment/article/%E7%AC%AC37%E5%B1%86%E6%9D%B1%E4%BA%AC%E5%9C%8B%E9%9A%9B%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E7%AF%80%EF%BD%9C%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E6%83%B3%E7%94%A8%E3%80%8A%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D%E3%80%8B%E5%B9%AB%E5%AA%BD |url-status=live }} and competed for the NETPAC Award at the 2024 Golden Horse Film Festival.{{Cite web |url=https://reading.udn.com/read/story/122858/8375490 |title=2024金馬影展《虎毒不》奪奈派克獎！一同回顧歷屆金馬獎香港電影新力量 |date=21 November 2024 |website=United Daily News |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=26 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250426015813/https://reading.udn.com/read/story/122858/8375490 |url-status=live }} The film had its Hong Kong premiere in the Gala section at the 49th Hong Kong International Film Festival in Tsim Sha Tsui on 12 April 2025,{{Cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2025/03/hong-kong-film-festival-brightest-sun-pavane-for-an-infant-ando-sakura-leos-carax-1236328044/ |title=‘The Brightest Sun’, ‘Pavane For An Infant’ To Open HKIFF; Leos Carax & Ando Sakura Among Filmmakers Set To Attend |date=17 March 2025 |website=Deadline Hollywood |last=Shackleton |first=Liz |access-date=17 March 2025}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.singtao.ca/7120022/2025-04-12/news-%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E8%A2%AB%E6%8C%87%E9%87%91%E5%83%8F%E7%8D%8E%E5%BD%B1%E5%90%8E%E9%BB%91%E9%A6%AC+%E6%9C%AA%E6%BA%96%E5%82%99%E6%88%B0%E8%A1%A3%E8%80%8C%E7%B7%8A%E5%BC%B5++%E7%9B%A7%E9%8E%AE%E6%A5%AD%E5%94%94%E5%90%8C%E5%A5%B3%E5%8F%8B%E5%BB%96%E5%AD%90%E5%A6%A4%E8%A1%8C%E7%B4%85%E5%9C%B0%E6%B0%88/?variant=zh-hk |title=談善言被指金像獎影后黑馬 未準備戰衣而緊張 盧鎮業唔同女友廖子妤行紅地氈 |date=12 April 2025 |website=Sing Tao Daily |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=26 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250426015735/https://www.singtao.ca/7120022/2025-04-12/news-%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E8%A2%AB%E6%8C%87%E9%87%91%E5%83%8F%E7%8D%8E%E5%BD%B1%E5%90%8E%E9%BB%91%E9%A6%AC+%E6%9C%AA%E6%BA%96%E5%82%99%E6%88%B0%E8%A1%A3%E8%80%8C%E7%B7%8A%E5%BC%B5++%E7%9B%A7%E9%8E%AE%E6%A5%AD%E5%94%94%E5%90%8C%E5%A5%B3%E5%8F%8B%E5%BB%96%E5%AD%90%E5%A6%A4%E8%A1%8C%E7%B4%85%E5%9C%B0%E6%B0%88/?variant=zh-hk |url-status=live }} followed by a theatrical release in Hong Kong on 24 April.{{Cite web |url=https://news.mingpao.com/pns/%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82/article/20250419/s00016/1744994399056/%E3%80%90%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82%E5%A0%B4%E3%80%91%E3%80%8A%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D%E3%80%8B%E5%B0%8E%E6%BC%94%E9%99%B3%E5%B0%8F%E5%A8%9F-%E7%B5%A6%E6%96%B0%E6%89%8B%E6%AF%8D%E8%A6%AA%E4%B8%80%E5%80%8B%E6%93%81%E6%8A%B1 |title=【娛樂場】《虎毒不》導演陳小娟：給新手母親一個擁抱 |date=19 April 2025 |website=Ming Pao |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=zh |archive-date=20 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250420034239/https://news.mingpao.com/pns/%e5%a8%9b%e6%a8%82/article/20250419/s00016/1744994399056/%e3%80%90%e5%a8%9b%e6%a8%82%e5%a0%b4%e3%80%91%e3%80%8a%e8%99%8e%e6%af%92%e4%b8%8d%e3%80%8b%e5%b0%8e%e6%bc%94%e9%99%b3%e5%b0%8f%e5%a8%9f-%e7%b5%a6%e6%96%b0%e6%89%8b%e6%af%8d%e8%a6%aa%e4%b8%80%e5%80%8b%e6%93%81%e6%8a%b1 |url-status=live }} It is also set to be screened in competition at the 27th Far East Film Festival.{{Cite web |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/sylvia-chang-lifetime-achievement-far-east-film-festival-1236354867/ |title=Sylvia Chang to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award as Far East Film Festival Sets ‘Green Wave’ as Opener |date=2 April 2025 |website=Variety |last=Ramachandran |first=Naman |access-date=12 April 2025}}

Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter found Montages of a Modern Motherhood to be a "powerful yet uncomfortable" film that empathetically portrays the "harrowing" hardships faced by new mothers, particularly through Hedwig Tam's "superb" and deeply emotional performance, but noted that it may not resonate with all audiences, especially those experiencing pregnancy, due to its intense emotional themes.{{Cite web |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/montages-of-a-modern-motherhood-review-1236049325/ |title=‘Montages of a Modern Motherhood’ Review: Chinese Drama Paints a Harrowing but Sensitive Portrait of New Parenthood |date=31 October 2024 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |last=Scheck |first=Frank |author-link=Frank Scheck |access-date=23 April 2025 |archive-date=7 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207093820/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/montages-of-a-modern-motherhood-review-1236049325/ |url-status=live }} Edmund Lee of the South China Morning Post gave the film 3/5 stars, praising Tam's performance as "nuanced" and describing it as a "meticulously observed and wonderfully acted drama" that effectively highlights the struggles of new motherhood and realistically portrays maternity within a patriarchal Chinese society, but lamented that it falls short due to Chan's overly monotonous determination to depict women's hardships with an unrealistic narrative full of worst-case scenarios and a "lack of engaging characters".{{Cite web |url=https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3307605/montages-modern-motherhood-movie-review-hedwig-tam-shines-exhausted-new-mother |title=Montages of a Modern Motherhood movie review: Hedwig Tam shines as an exhausted new mother |date=23 April 2025 |website=South China Morning Post |last=Lee |first=Edmund |access-date=26 April 2025}}

Wendy Ide of Screen International described the film as "sensitively acted and directed", noting that it "evocatively captures the bone-deep exhaustion of new motherhood" while exploring the identity struggles faced by women in Hong Kong society, though it offers little new insight into the anxieties of maternal responsibility.{{Cite web |url=https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/montages-of-a-modern-motherhood-busan-review/5197358.article |title=‘Montages Of A Modern Motherhood’: Busan Review |date=7 October 2024 |website=Screen Daily |last=Ide |first=Wendy |access-date=23 April 2025 |archive-date=3 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241203160838/https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/montages-of-a-modern-motherhood-busan-review/5197358.article |url-status=live }} Ho Tak of Harper's Bazaar expressed a similar opinion, describing the film as a profoundly immersive and painful exploration of postpartum depression due to Tammy Tam's standout performance, which conveys a range of emotions effectively and naturally, although it ultimately presents a bleak and one-dimensional view of the protagonist's struggles that challenges the audience's emotional resilience.{{Cite web |url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com.hk/lifestyle/moive-Montages-of-a-Modern-Motherhood |title=《虎毒不》影評｜談善言問鼎金像獎影后巔峰之作！極致感受產後抑鬱之苦痛 |date=26 April 2025 |website=Harper's Bazaar |last=Ho |first=Tak |access-date=27 April 2025 |language=zh}}

Calvin Choi, writing for am730, offered a rather negative review and believed that the film presents a bleak portrayal of motherhood, emphasizing that the protagonist's choices lead to despair rather than hope, and underscores the importance of personal agency in shaping one's own sense of hope rather than relying on fictional narratives.{{Cite web |url=https://www.am730.com.hk/column/%E5%A8%9B%E6%A8%82/%E6%B7%91%E8%B2%9E%E5%B7%B2%E7%B6%93%E5%BE%88%E6%94%B0-%E4%B8%8D%E8%A6%81%E4%BB%A4%E5%A5%B9%E6%9B%B4%E6%94%B0/553947 |title=淑貞已經很攰，不要令她更攰 |date=25 April 2024 |website=am730 |last=Choi |first=Calvin |author-link=Calvin Choi |access-date=28 April 2025 |language=zh}} Alex Chung of HK01, while highlighting Hedwig Tam's outstanding performance and the vivid portrayal of Jing's emotional turmoil, found that the film's oppressive atmosphere may leave audiences feeling burdened rather than uplifted, despite its artistic progress from the director's previous film Still Human (2018).{{Cite web |url=https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/60232311/%E8%99%8E%E6%AF%92%E4%B8%8D%E5%BD%B1%E8%A9%95-%E8%AB%87%E5%96%84%E8%A8%80%E6%BC%94%E7%B9%B9%E7%8F%BE%E4%BB%A3%E6%AF%8D%E8%A6%AA%E7%9A%84%E7%AA%92%E6%81%AF%E8%88%87%E6%8E%99%E6%89%8E-%E9%A4%B5%E4%BA%BA%E5%A5%B6%E6%88%90%E6%AF%8D%E6%84%9B%E6%9E%B7%E9%8E%96 |title=虎毒不影評｜談善言演繹現代母親的窒息與掙扎　餵人奶成母愛枷鎖 |date=24 April 2025 |website=HK01 |last=Chung |first=Alex |access-date=27 April 2025 |language=zh}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|33616537}}

Category:2024 films

Category:2024 drama films

Category:Hong Kong drama films

Category:2020s Hong Kong films

Category:2020s Cantonese-language films

Category:Films set in Hong Kong

Category:Films shot in Hong Kong

Category:Pregnancy films

Category:Films about mother–daughter relationships

Category:Films about parenting