Hong Kong Film "Love Lies" to be Released in Japan! Poster Visual and Trailer Unveiled!

Salon Japan is pleased to announce that the Hong Kong film "Love Lies" (Original Title: 我談的那場戀愛 / English Title: Love Lies) will be released sequentially nationwide starting September 4 (Fri.) at Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho and other theaters.

Today, we are releasing the poster visual and trailer, and have also begun selling advance tickets (online).

In addition, prior to the release, a "Japanese Subtitled Premiere Screening Event" will be held in Sapporo, Hokkaido, the film's filming location, with director Ho Miu Kei (何妙祺) from Hong Kong as a special guest.

About the Film

Nominated for 6 awards at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards and 2 awards at the 61st Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan. This film is the long-awaited feature debut of Ho Miu Kei (何妙祺), a new female director with a 15-year career as a screenwriter. Director Ho was nominated for both the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Golden Horse Awards for Best New Director for this work. The story, which deals with international romance scams, depicts a 52-year-old doctor and a 26-year-old young man lightly overcoming age and social gaps, vividly reviving the lineage of romantic comedies that Hong Kong cinema once excelled at.

Veronica (played by Sandra Ng), an obstetrician in her late 40s, becomes a victim of a romance scam. Joe (played by MC Cheung Tin-fu), a Gen Z individual, is a "money mule" for the scam group that deceived her. The two, who should have no connection, meet on a dating app while impersonating others and embark on an unpredictable romance.

©2024 Head Office Film Limited All Rights Reserved.©2024 Head Office Film Limited All Rights Reserved.

Filming took place in Hong Kong and Sapporo, Hokkaido, during the fresh green season. This film was selected for the Reiwa 5 (2023) Sapporo City Film Production Support Program and was attracted and supported by the Sapporo Film Commission for location shooting (※).

Locations in the city, including Odori Park, Soseigawa Park, the Sapporo Streetcar, and Tanukikoji Shopping Street, were used for filming, with approximately 50 local extras participating.

※ In Sapporo, the Sapporo Film Commission, operated by the Sapporo Industrial Promotion Foundation, aims to "foster the local film industry" and "revitalize the local economy through film production," attracting and supporting film productions set in Sapporo.

(Location Attraction and Support Achievements: Netflix Original Drama "First Love" (2022), etc.)

Poster Visual Unveiled

The poster visual, released today, features a vertical composition of Veronica and Joe's profiles, each living their own "lie."

Veronica (played by Sandra Ng), who lost her husband suddenly just before their divorce and is still processing her grief, leans against her car at her usual gas station. Joe (played by MC Cheung Tin-fu), disguised as "Alan," a 55-year-old French oil engineer, looks forward in a suit with the Sapporo TV Tower in the background.

The handwritten logo "Love Lies ラブ・ライズ" in a single stroke connects the two characters, who met on a dating app, and the film's two settings, Hong Kong and Sapporo.

The taglines, "Until the end, it was love" from Veronica, and "In the beginning, it was just a 'lie'" from Joe, highlight the core of the film.

Poster Visual

Trailer Unveiled

The trailer, released today, has a dynamic structure. The first half comically depicts the sweet words exchanged on the dating app, Veronica's excitement for a new romance, and the inner workings of the scam group. The latter half transitions to a quiet and poignant emotional tone as the distance between the two characters closes, set against the backdrops of Hong Kong and Sapporo. The trailer hints that this is more than just a simple romantic comedy, revealing "deep loneliness and pain that everyone carries in their hearts" beyond the laughter and excitement. The delicate performances of the two leads, along with the picturesque scenery of Sapporo and the Sapporo Streetcar, are impressively captured, conveying that while it is a Hong Kong film, it will also resonate with Japanese audiences.

Advance Tickets (Online) Now on Sale

Advance tickets (online) for this film went on sale today at 11:00 AM. As a purchase bonus, two types of original smartphone wallpapers will be given as digital benefits. This applies to both advance ticket and viewing ticket purchasers, and the wallpapers will be distributed immediately upon purchase.

One type of original smartphone wallpaper is the "Original Poster Design," which combines the original poster visual of the Sapporo Streetcar scenery with the Japanese title logo. The other type is the "Character Design," an original illustration by a Japanese designer depicting the characters in the theme colors of the Japanese poster visual, overlaid with the original title logo.

Two Types of Original Smartphone Wallpapers (Image)

"Japanese Subtitled Premiere Screening Event" to be Held in Sapporo

A "Japanese Subtitled Premiere Screening Event" will be held in Sapporo, Hokkaido, the film's filming location, on July 7 (Tue.), prior to its release, with director Ho Miu Kei (何妙祺) from Hong Kong as a special guest.

This event is jointly organized by the Creative Industry Promotion Division of the Sapporo Industrial Promotion Foundation and Salon Japan. Representatives from the Sapporo Film Commission, which attracted and supported the film, and the production company responsible for location coordination in Sapporo will speak at a talk session before the screening, reflecting on the two weeks of filming in Sapporo and discussing the impact of film production on the local economy.

Event Details

1. Date and Time: July 7, 2026 (Tue.) 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM (Doors open 1:00 PM)

2. Venue: Sapporo Business HUB (Sapporo Industrial Promotion Center, 1-1-1 Higashi-Sapporo 5-jo, Shiroishi-ku, Sapporo)

3. Speakers (tentative):

Special Guest: Director/Screenwriter of "Love Lies," Ho Miu Kei (何妙祺)

Speakers: Sapporo Film Commission, Li Ka-er (李嘉兒)

Gold Location Co., Ltd., Representative Director & Location Manager, Yusuke Sato

Moderator: Salon Japan Inc., Executive Vice President, Emiko Matsumura

4. Program:

1:00 PM: Reception begins

1:30 PM: Talk Session - Introduction to the Film and Filming in Sapporo

2:00 PM: Film Screening of "Love Lies" (Running time: 114 minutes)

4:00 PM: Business card exchange and interview time (Free dissolution, scheduled to end at 5:00 PM)

Film Information

【Story】

Joe, 26, unemployed and struggling to pay his phone bill, applies for a high-paying job he found online and enters the world of scams. His talent for improvisation is recognized by the scam group's leader, Mr. White, and he is given the role of "55-year-old French oil engineer, Alan" by Joan, a former head of scriptwriting at a TV station. He contacts Veronica on a dating app.

Meanwhile, Veronica is 52 years old. She is a calm and collected obstetrician, but on the app, she is registered as a "25-year-old Hong Kong nurse" and dreams of romance with a foreigner. Since losing her husband during divorce proceedings, she has been spending her time in emptiness, becoming increasingly engrossed in her interactions with "Alan" and sending him money. While building trust without revealing his true identity, Joe begins to feel guilty towards Veronica.

Eventually, Joe sees Veronica's past SNS posts of her trip to Sapporo and invites her there—

【About the Cast】

Veronica is played by Sandra Ng (吳君如), a renowned comedienne whose cumulative box office revenue in Hong Kong films is the highest in history. She has been nominated for Best Actress at the Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan for this role. Joe is played by MC Cheung Tin-fu (張天賦), a popular singer and actor among young people in Hong Kong. He also sings the theme song "筆友" for the film, which was nominated for Best Original Song at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Joan is played by singer and actress Stephy Tang (鄧麗欣), who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards.

【Basic Information】

Title: "Love Lies" (Original Title: 我談的那場戀愛 / English Title: Love Lies)

Director: Ho Miu Kei (何妙祺)

Producers: Chan Hing-ka (陳慶嘉), Janet Chun (秦小珍)

Screenplay: Ho Miu Kei (何妙祺), Chan Hing-ka (陳慶嘉)

Starring: Sandra Ng (吳君如), MC Cheung Tin-fu (張天賦), Stephy Tang (鄧麗欣), Chan Fai-hung (陳輝虹), Emotion Cheung (許禮信)

2024 | Hong Kong | Cantonese, English, French, Japanese | 114 min | Color | CinemaScope | 5.1ch Film Classification: G

Japanese Subtitles: Maiko Mogami

Distribution & Promotion: Salon Japan

©2024 Head Office Film Limited All Rights Reserved.

"Love Lies" Official Website: https://www.love-lies-movie.jp/

"Love Lies" Official X: @loveliesJP

Opening September 4 (Fri.) at Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho and other theaters nationwide.

【Contact】

Salon Japan Inc. E-mail: [email protected]