Hong Kong movie producer, writer,and director, Alex Law, popularly known as Law Kai-yui, has died at the age of 69.
According to reports, he died on Saturday in hospital with his wife and long-time filmmaking partner, Mabel Cheung by his side.
However, the cause of death was not disclosed.
Law’s death drew notice from many corners of Hong Kong society.
Wilfred Wong Ying-wai, the chairman of the Hong Kong Film Development Council, said;
“Alex is a leading figure in the development of the local film industry. Being an outstanding Hong Kong film director, he had earned a lot of achievement throughout his career.
He had also contributed a lot to the local film industry. He was member of the FDC from 2013 to 2015. (..) I am particularly impressed by Alex’s enthusiasm to support the programs launched by the FDC. He joined the Directors’ Succession Scheme in order to pass his exceptional directing knowledge and experiences to the younger generation.
He also helped assess the works of the Scriptwriting Incubation Program and First Feature Film Initiative for identifying screenwriting talents and new directors. His departure is a huge loss for the local film industry and he will be truly missed.”
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Kevin Yeung, said:
“Alex had been contributing a lot to the local film industry and created a lot of classic popular films which are full of cultural ambiance. (..)
Apart from these personal achievements, Alex had also been active in promoting the Hong Kong film industry development through various government initiatives. (..) I would like to extend my deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
Alex who was born in 1952, graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a degree in Chinese and English studies and comparative literature in 1976.
He met Cheung while studying for a master’s degree in New York.
While he was alive, Alex Law and his wife, Cheung often swapped roles in order to support each other’s efforts.
The filmmaker took directing credits on “Echoes of the Rainbow,” a nostalgic reminiscence about 1960s Hong Kong. The movie which waspProduced by Cheung was the first film from the city to win the Crystal Bear award at the Berlin film festival’s Generation Kplus section.
Law was the writer and producer of Cheung’s best-known film, the 1997 historical biopic “The Soong Sisters” and writer of her “An Autumn’s Tale.”
