Documentary Film Screening: Ballad on the Shore

On the small island of Tap Mun, the ocean breeze gently lifts up strands of grey hair on Lai Lin-shau’s head. He sings quietly in the characteristic tones of the fishermen’s ballads. Seemingly without rules, the pitch and tones alternate and repeat themselves as if they were synchronising with the ocean waves. Lai is one of the few people still alive who knows the fishermen’s ballads intimately. None of his children experienced the harsh and unforgiving life at sea. They are not even aware of his priceless knowledge of the ballads.

As the fishing community has shrunk, old fishermen have found new ways of life on land — one performs and teaches the ballads to young children; another uses the ballads to spread her Christian faith. The ballads have become a spiritual harbour for these landed fishermen. But deaths come brutally. Lai loses his listeners and his memory of the ballads. A precious part of him is dying.

Language: Cantonese & Tanka Dialect, Chinese with English subtitles

Age limit: Nil

Duration: 120 minutes

Production / Artist

Director   Ma Chi Hang

Cinematography      Wong Wai Nap

Montage  Cheung Pak Ming

Music       Ahkok Wong