| Cageman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese name | |||
| Traditional Chinese | 籠民 | ||
| |||
| Directed by | Jacob Cheung | ||
| Written by | Jacob Cheung Ng Chong Chau Wong Yank | ||
| Starring | Roy Chiao Liu Kai-chi Wong Ka Kui Victor Wong Teddy Robin Chow Chung Bowie Wu | ||
| Cinematography | Andy Lam | ||
| Edited by | Henry Cheung | ||
Release date |
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Running time | 144 minutes | ||
Cageman (Chinese: 籠民) is a 1992 Hong Kong satirical comedy-drama film directed by Jacob Cheung. It won four awards at the 12th Hong Kong Film Awards held in 1993, including Best Film.
Plot
The movie explores the lives of tenants of the Wah Ha cage-house, who try to resist to stay in their cage-homes after the landlord announces he will take the building back and demolish it.
Cast
- Roy Chiao – Koo Yiu-Cho aka Fatso, the person in charge of the cage-house who collects rents and pays them to the landlord
- Liu Kai-chi – Prince Sam, Koo Yiu-Cho's adult son who has intellectual disability
- Wong Ka Kui – Mao, Lam Tsung's adopted son who joins to live with the tenants and has a criminal past
- Michael Lee Ming-Yeung – 7–11, a 99-year-old tenant who sells goods to other tenants
- Victor Wong – Sissy, a tenant who is close friends with 7-11 and assists him
- Teddy Robin – Tong Sam aka Monkey Man, a short tenant who owns a pet monkey named Tucker
- Lau Shun – Taoist, a philosophical tenant who always carries a bottle of wine with him
- Joe Junior – Charlie, a former tenant who often visits the cage-house and brings food for other tenants
- Ku Feng – Luk Tung, a tenant who works as a handyman
- Tats Lau – Brother Sang
- Chow Chung – Councillor Chow
- Dennis Chan – Councillor Tsui
- Bowie Wu – Officer Lam Tsung, Mao's adoptive father
- Teddy Chan – Possession order messenger
- Sze Kai-Keung – TV interviewer
- Herman Yau – TV director
- Tang Cheung – Dai Lap Hing
Production
In an interview for EasternKicks, Cheung said that the idea to make a film about Hong Kong's housing issues came from a newspaper reporter, who had hoped that the director would help draw the general public's attention to this matter.1
Awards and nominations
| Awards and nominations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Outcome |
| 12th Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Film | Cageman | Won |
| Best Director | Jacob Cheung | Won | |
| Best Screenplay | Yank Wong, Ng Chong Chau and Jacob Cheung | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Liu Kai-chi | Won | |
| Best Art Direction | Yank Wong and Chin Yiu-Hang | Nominated | |
Post-release
In March 2026, M+ announced that they had restored Cageman under their film preservation program, M+ Restored. The restored film had its international premiere at the 50th Hong Kong International Film Festival in April 2026,2 as well as the Far East Film Festival that same month.3 Distributor Kani Releasing also announced plans to distribute the film in North America.4
References
References
- Cunliffe, Tom (18 October 2014). "Jacob Cheung Interview". EasternKicks. Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- "M+ Cinema Spring Edition 2026 Debuts Cageman, the New M+ Restored Title, and Honours Ryuichi Sakamoto's Cinematic Legacy" (Press release). M+. 13 March 2026. Archived from the original on 1 May 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- Lu, Rino (3 April 2026). "Udine 2026: Far East Film Festival Continues to Celebrate Asian Cinema in its 28th Year". ScreenAnarchy. Archived from the original on 1 May 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- Lin, Ying-Hsuan (17 March 2026). "Kani Releasing Picks Up Five Classic Hong Kong Pics for North American Screens". Variety. Archived from the original on 1 May 2026. Retrieved 1 May 2026.