Triangle (film)
Encyclopedia
Triangle is a 2007
Hong Kong
crime
-thriller produced and directed by Tsui Hark
, Ringo Lam
, and Johnnie To
. The film's title refers to both the acclaimed trio of filmmakers and to the uneasy brotherhood of the film's three protagonists. Triangle tells one story which is told in three thirty-minute segments, independently helmed by the three directors. It stars Louis Koo
, Simon Yam
and Sun Honglei
as a group of friends who uncover a hidden treasure that quickly draws attention among others. The film's tagline is "Tempation. Jealousy. Destiny." Each word is often associated with the segments that appear in chronological order
.
The first Hong Kong film made in a frame story
format, Triangle had each director take charge of a film segment, bringing in their own production team and screenwriters to continue the story set in motion by the previous director. Critics made easy notice of the lack of continuity
in between each segment, since the trio of directors did not share their scripts together while discussing the concepts.
Triangle was screened out of competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
. It was later released in China on 1 October 2007, which was one month before its theatrical Hong Kong release.
. All their financial woes seem to be solved after a late-night heist, but they are being tracked by shady cop Wen (Lam Ka-Tung
), who is carrying on an affair with Sam's emotionally unstable wife, Ling (Kelly Lin
), and has connections with Fei. When the twisted relationship tangles come to light, the brotherhood dangerously breaks down and the treasure ends up in the wrong hands.
. Each director was solely responsible for one third of the film (about 30 minute long). They did not discuss their segments with each other, and each director had a different set of writers working on each segment, the most notable being Yau Nai-Hoi
, Au Kin-Yee
and Yip Tin-Shing
, frequent scriptwriters for Johnnie To and his Milkyway Image films. All of the segments relied on the same editor, cinematographer and music for the sake of uniformity. David M. Richardson served as an editor, Guy Zerafa provided the film score and Cheng Siu-Keung
served as cinematographer. All three worked on To's 2006 film Exiled
.
Tsui Hark was the first to start production for the film, since To and Lam agreed that it was his original concept. The initial plan was to shoot Triangle at the end of 2007, but the plan was changed due to the overwhelming positive response from a large number of European distributors. After Tsui completed the first segment of Triangle, Lam looked at the development of it before shooting the second part, and handed the film to Johnnie To who completed the third part with its conclusion.
. It was also screened at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
and the Seattle International Film Festival
.
Hong Kong films of 2007
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 2007:.-2007:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 2007 at...
Hong Kong
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
crime
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
-thriller produced and directed by Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark
Tsui Hark , born Tsui Man-kong, is a Hong Kong New Wave film director and producer. He is viewed as a major figure in the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema .-Early life:...
, Ringo Lam
Ringo Lam
Ringo Lam Ling-Tung , born in 1955 is a Hong Kong film director, producer and scriptwriter.He is known for gritty, dark and realistic action thrillers. He was born in Hong Kong and studied film at York University film school in Toronto...
, and Johnnie To
Johnnie To
Johnnie To Kei-Fung, born 22 April 1955, is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas...
. The film's title refers to both the acclaimed trio of filmmakers and to the uneasy brotherhood of the film's three protagonists. Triangle tells one story which is told in three thirty-minute segments, independently helmed by the three directors. It stars Louis Koo
Louis Koo
Louis Koo is a Hong Kong actor. He was once a notable local television series actor, winning TVB's Best Actor award in 1999 for Detective Investigation Files IV. In recent years, he has focused on film...
, Simon Yam
Simon Yam
Simon Yam Tat-Wah , born March 19, 1955, is a Hong Kong actor and film producer.-Background:The son of a former police officer of Shangdong heritage, his father was a Hong Kong Royal Police ship captain who was murdered by his colleague....
and Sun Honglei
Sun Honglei
Sun Honglei, born 16 August 1970 in Harbin, China is a Chinese actor.-Background:Sun developed an interest in acting and performances at a young age. He often skipped school to learn breakdancing on the streets and eventually gave up his studies entirely to pursue dancing as a career, eventually...
as a group of friends who uncover a hidden treasure that quickly draws attention among others. The film's tagline is "Tempation. Jealousy. Destiny." Each word is often associated with the segments that appear in chronological order
Chronology
Chronology is the science of arranging events in their order of occurrence in time, such as the use of a timeline or sequence of events. It is also "the determination of the actual temporal sequence of past events".Chronology is part of periodization...
.
The first Hong Kong film made in a frame story
Frame story
A frame story is a literary technique that sometimes serves as a companion piece to a story within a story, whereby an introductory or main narrative is presented, at least in part, for the purpose of setting the stage either for a more emphasized second narrative or for a set of shorter stories...
format, Triangle had each director take charge of a film segment, bringing in their own production team and screenwriters to continue the story set in motion by the previous director. Critics made easy notice of the lack of continuity
Continuity (fiction)
In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer over some period of time...
in between each segment, since the trio of directors did not share their scripts together while discussing the concepts.
Triangle was screened out of competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival
2007 Cannes Film Festival
The 2007 Cannes Film Festival, the sixtieth, ran from 16 to 27 May 2007. Wong Kar-wai's My Blueberry Nights opened the festival, and Denys Arcand's The Age of Ignorance closed...
. It was later released in China on 1 October 2007, which was one month before its theatrical Hong Kong release.
Plot
Small-timer Fei (Louis Koo), his married buddy Sam (Simon Yam), and antique store owner Mok (Sun Hong Lei) are all in desperate need of money. Fei wants his friend to drive a robbery getaway car but Sam backs out, throwing Fei in trouble with the triads. As the three are arguing, a mysterious man leaves them a map, leading them to an unlikely treasure under the Legislative Council buildingLegislative Council of Hong Kong
The Legislative Council is the unicameral legislature of Hong Kong.-History:The Legislative Council of Hong Kong was set up in 1843 as a colonial legislature under British rule...
. All their financial woes seem to be solved after a late-night heist, but they are being tracked by shady cop Wen (Lam Ka-Tung
Lam Ka-Tung
Gordon Lam Ka-tung is a Hong Kong actor known for his supporting roles in films from the likes of Andrew Lau to Johnnie To.-Career:Lam graduated from TVB's 15th Artist Training Class in 1988. For the next seven to eight years, he was no more than an extra in most television productions...
), who is carrying on an affair with Sam's emotionally unstable wife, Ling (Kelly Lin
Kelly Lin
Kelly Lin Hsi-Lei is a Taiwanese actress and model who has appeared mainly in Hong Kong films.-Biography:Lin was born in Taiwan in 1975. She moved to Santa Barbara, California with her family at the age of 12. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a Degree in Economics...
), and has connections with Fei. When the twisted relationship tangles come to light, the brotherhood dangerously breaks down and the treasure ends up in the wrong hands.
Cast
- Louis KooLouis KooLouis Koo is a Hong Kong actor. He was once a notable local television series actor, winning TVB's Best Actor award in 1999 for Detective Investigation Files IV. In recent years, he has focused on film...
as Fei - Simon YamSimon YamSimon Yam Tat-Wah , born March 19, 1955, is a Hong Kong actor and film producer.-Background:The son of a former police officer of Shangdong heritage, his father was a Hong Kong Royal Police ship captain who was murdered by his colleague....
as Lee Bo-Sam - Sun HongleiSun HongleiSun Honglei, born 16 August 1970 in Harbin, China is a Chinese actor.-Background:Sun developed an interest in acting and performances at a young age. He often skipped school to learn breakdancing on the streets and eventually gave up his studies entirely to pursue dancing as a career, eventually...
as Mok Shing-Yuen - Lam Ka-TungLam Ka-TungGordon Lam Ka-tung is a Hong Kong actor known for his supporting roles in films from the likes of Andrew Lau to Johnnie To.-Career:Lam graduated from TVB's 15th Artist Training Class in 1988. For the next seven to eight years, he was no more than an extra in most television productions...
as Wen - Kelly LinKelly LinKelly Lin Hsi-Lei is a Taiwanese actress and model who has appeared mainly in Hong Kong films.-Biography:Lin was born in Taiwan in 1975. She moved to Santa Barbara, California with her family at the age of 12. She graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a Degree in Economics...
as Ling - You YongYou YongYou Yong is a Chinese actor from Xi'an, Shaanxi province.You Yong enrolled in the Xi'an Drama School in 1979 and was joined the Shanghai Theatre Academy in 1984. Upon graduation in 1988, he acted in his first film, Obsession, marking the start of his career...
as Policeman - Lam SuetLam SuetLam Suet is a Hong Kong actor.-Biography:Lam was born in Tianjin, and came to Hong Kong as a youth in 1979 to receive inheritance money left by his grandfather. Soon after all the money had been squandered and Lam had to work various odd jobs to make a living.In the mid-eighties he got employment...
as Fat Bo
Production
The film was shot entirely in Hong Kong with actors from the city and Mainland ChinaMainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
. Each director was solely responsible for one third of the film (about 30 minute long). They did not discuss their segments with each other, and each director had a different set of writers working on each segment, the most notable being Yau Nai-Hoi
Yau Nai-Hoi
Yau Nai-Hoi is a Hong Kong filmmaker and screenwriter. He has been known as a popular writer for films directed by Johnnie To and Wai Ka-Fai of Milkyway Image. He often collaborates with fellow Milkyway Image writers Wai Ka-Fai, Szeto Kam-Yuen, Au Kin-Yee and Yip Tin-Shing...
, Au Kin-Yee
Au Kin-Yee
Au Kin-Yee is a Hong Kong screenwriter.She is a long-time screenwriter for films directed by Johnnie To and/or Wai Ka-Fai of Milkyway Image and frequently works alongside writers Wai Ka-Fai, Yau Nai-Hoi and Yip Tin-Shing.-Filmography:...
and Yip Tin-Shing
Yip Tin-Shing
Yip Tin-Shing is a Hong Kong screenwriter.He is a long-time screenwriter for films directed by Johnnie To and/or Wai Ka-Fai of Milkyway Image and frequently works alongside screenwriters Szeto Kam-Yuen, Wai Ka-Fai, Yau Nai-Hoi and Au Kin-Yee.-Writer:...
, frequent scriptwriters for Johnnie To and his Milkyway Image films. All of the segments relied on the same editor, cinematographer and music for the sake of uniformity. David M. Richardson served as an editor, Guy Zerafa provided the film score and Cheng Siu-Keung
Cheng Siu-Keung
Cheng Siu-Keung is a Hong Kong cinematographer, writer, and director. He is known for frequently collaborating with directors Johnnie To and Wai Ka-Fai as a cinematographer for their independent film production company, Milkyway Image.-Cinematographer:...
served as cinematographer. All three worked on To's 2006 film Exiled
Exiled
Exiled is a 2006 Hong Kong action crime drama film produced and directed by Johnnie To, and starring Anthony Wong, Roy Cheung, Francis Ng, and Simon Yam. The action takes place in contemporary Macau.-Plot:...
.
Tsui Hark was the first to start production for the film, since To and Lam agreed that it was his original concept. The initial plan was to shoot Triangle at the end of 2007, but the plan was changed due to the overwhelming positive response from a large number of European distributors. After Tsui completed the first segment of Triangle, Lam looked at the development of it before shooting the second part, and handed the film to Johnnie To who completed the third part with its conclusion.
Festivals and Awards
Triangle was screened out of competition at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival2007 Cannes Film Festival
The 2007 Cannes Film Festival, the sixtieth, ran from 16 to 27 May 2007. Wong Kar-wai's My Blueberry Nights opened the festival, and Denys Arcand's The Age of Ignorance closed...
. It was also screened at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Santa Barbara International Film Festival
The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is a film festival and non-profit organization, established in 1985, that showcases independent American and international films. The SBIFF line-up includes 20 world premieres and 11 U.S. premieres, with newly expanded 11-day festival...
and the Seattle International Film Festival
Seattle International Film Festival
The Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
.