Title of Proposal:
The Kingfisher
Logline:
A love affair set against the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution in China,
which is destroyed by betrayal but is found again after a lifetime of hardship and pain.

Synopsis:

A group of old men are sitting in a traditional Chinese teahouse in Hong Kong, surrounded by their bird-cages and newspapers.

One of the old men begins to tell a story about a friend of his. Thirty years ago,in China, his friend (Kingfisher) ran a Peking Opera troupe with his best friend (Hawk). Into this theatrical world of costume and drama came Xiao, a beautiful young girl, with whom Kingfisher fell in love. Hawk, jealous of this romance, plotted to remove Kingfisher from the scene so that he could have Xiao to himself.

Against a backdrop of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966 - 1976) Hawk reported Kingfisher to the authorities as a 'rebel' and he was consequently branded a traitor and imprisoned.

Xiao was distraught at the thought of Kingfisher's imprisonment. She told Hawk that she would wait for him until the day she died. Eventually, Hawk, using his political influence, managed to have Kingfisher sent to a special 'camp' in Sichuan Province for an indefinite period. With Kingfisher out of the way Hawk told Xiao that Kingfisher was dead. Pregnant with Kingfisher's child, Xiao broke down and wept. Hawk persuaded her to leave China for Hong Kong, and promised to look after her and the unborn child. Having no choice and herself persecuted by the Red Guards, Xiao agreed.

After the oppression in China, Hong Kong was like a breath of fresh air. At first Xiao was afraid of her new surroundings but as time went on she realised that she was free of the past terrors, accusations and lies that had suppressed and dominated her life. And so it was that a baby boy, Peter entered the world of Hong Kong, unaware of the dramas that had unfolded over the previous nine months. Hawk and Xiao lived a happy domestic life, a sharp contrast to the hardships faced in China. Xiao gave birth to another boy Henry, one year later.

Because of Hawk's connections in China, he quickly became involved in Hong Kong politics and was elected to the Legislative Council. Together with Xiao, he formed another Opera Company, this time Cantonese and they continued to enthral and delight audiences as they had done many years before. This served as a part time diversion for Hawk, and for Xiao, and was a reminder of happier days before the Cultural Revolution. The two boys Peter and Henry, grew up, in and around this family opera tradition, surrounded by colourfullegendary characters, stories and theatre. It was a rich and fascinating childhood.

Hawk's son Peter became a famous painter but eventually fell from grace. He lived a handto-mouth existence and a shadow of his former self. One night Peter saw Hawk, who he thought was his father, in a nightclub with his mistress (Angel). He could not believe his eyes.

Peter now worked as a set painter and part-time extra for his stepfather's Opera Company. Working on backdrop murals depicting colourful scenes from various Chinese operas, the work was breathtaking in its treatment of fluid colour and movement. This style found a way back into his paintings, and he was on the road to recovery.

One night Peter saw Angel in the Opera audience. He sent a message to Angel, the two met and then embarked on a passionate romance.

Confronted by his stepfather who accused him of sleeping with his mistress Peter was callously told that his real father was an invisible man in nowhere land. They argued and the stepfather pulled out a gun. The stepfather was about to shoot Peter when Angel entered from the next room. She had a small pistol. She shot the stepfather. As he fell fatally wounded, he fired his gun at her. She fell in a pool of blood. Dying in Peter's arms, he promised her that he would paint a picture of her that everyone would always rememberjust like Li Hui Niang - the lady who died for love.

Peter's recent exhibition was a sell out success. He was back at the top again. As promised, he had painted a magnificent portrait of Angel which had been bought by an old man. His mother told him that at last, she was free - no more tyranny, no more repression from the stepfather. Peter embraced her.

Peter found out the address of the old man who bought the painting - he wanted to go and see Angel's portrait because he missed her intensely. Arriving at the old man's apartment, he was told that he would find him in the old Fook Yu Teahouse in Lee Street.

The old men are sitting around listening to the end of the old man's story. Peter walks up to them. From the fixed look in the old man's eyes, his friends know that this is his son. The old man's story about his friend has been about himself all along. Father and son embrace in a flood of tears and begin to fill in the wasted years.

A lone figure enters the doorway of the teahouse. They all look up to see Peter's mother. After 30 years of heartbreak and sadness the family is finally together again.