Project Sifu (2025) Film Screening and Workshop

A Documentary and Short Film

Directed by Wayne Wong

Film Screening and Participatory Workshop with Dr. Wayne Wong (Lecturer in East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield and director of Project Sifu)

Film Screening and Workshop

Date: Jan 16, 2026 (Friday)
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 PM (Approx. 2 hours duration)
Venue: Arts Tech Lab, (Room 4.35), 4/F, Run Run Shaw Tower, Main Campus, HKU
Registration: https://hku.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1N3tCj4Ys48KzmC?Q_CHL=qr

Join us for a special screening and participatory workshop with Dr. Wayne Wong, Lecturer in East Asian Studies at the University of Sheffield and director of the acclaimed Project Sifu (2025).

Amid rising concerns over youth violence in the UK, Project Sifu follows a unique pilot initiative that merges martial arts training with action filmmaking to empower young people through creativity, discipline, and cultural exchange. Set in Sheffield and co-created by film scholar Dr. Wayne Wong and Fighting Spirit Film Festival founder Soo Cole, the project brings together a diverse group of students—most of them female—with little or no prior experience in martial arts or filmmaking.

Over 12 weeks, participants learn techniques ranging from Wing Chun, Judo, Kickboxing to cinematic choreography, supported by a team of industry professionals from Hollywood action blockbusters such as Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025), The Batman (2022), No Time to Die (2021), and Tomb Raider (2018). Through physical training, stunt practice, film production, and reflections on cultural identity, Project Sifu documents their personal transformations and the creation of their own short action film. It is both a celebration of Hong Kong martial arts cinema and a heartfelt exploration of confidence-building, gender inclusivity, cross-cultural dialogue, and the joy of collaborative learning.

Originally launched in Sheffield and funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Project Sifu examines how martial arts cinema—one of Hong Kong’s most influential cultural legacies—can help diasporic Hong Kongers build identity, resilience, and community. Recognised at the Fighting Spirit Film Festival 2025 (London) and showcased internationally at the UNESCO International Centre of Martial Arts (ICM) in Seoul, the project has been praised for its innovative model linking embodied practice, wellbeing, and creative employability.

This Hong Kong debut screening will be followed by an interactive workshop led by Dr. Wayne Wong, where participants will experience how martial arts choreography is adapted for the screen, learn basic film-fighting techniques, and co-create short action sequences using mobile phones—demonstrating how cinematic storytelling and physical performance can foster confidence, empathy, and intercultural dialogue.