Hong Kong director Calif Chong’s debut feature, High Wire, makes a striking entrance, a film that is at once humorous, compelling, and real. Best known for her acclaimed 2019 short Underneath, Chong ventures into feature territory with a story that examines the delicate balance of duty and desire, the weight of parental expectation, and the thrilling sense of freedom. High Wire follows Go-wing, a British-Chinese takeaway girl, whose routine life is upended when a travelling circus arrives, bringing with it chaos and a promise of self-discovery.

At an Afternoon Tea with Filmmakers during the BFI London Film Festival, I had the chance to sit down with Chong, cinematographer Matthew P. Scott, and lead actress Isabella Wei to discuss the making of High Wire, its themes, and the thoughtful work behind its visuals and feelings.

“Your film beautifully combines humour with themes of displacement and identity. How did you find the balance between portraying the immigrant experience with honesty while keeping the tone light and relatable?” I asked Chong.

“Great question, thank you,” she began with her characteristic warmth. “From the very beginning, I knew this film needed to be both a comedy and a drama. Many films about racism and displacement are often quite sad, and naturally, they make the audience feel that sadness too. I wanted to add to this kind of cinema, but with a different approach – something lighter, yet still meaningful and profound.”

Chong paused to reflect on the process. “Thanks to my editor, we were able to balance the story effectively. We spent a long time in the edit, and at one point, he showed the film to his partner, who pointed out that the mood was becoming too heavy. We realized we needed to cut a few scenes. At first, I was reluctant – these moments felt too important – but we had to find a balance between reality and storytelling; otherwise, it would have felt like a documentary. Ultimately, we managed to align the narrative and the characters’ journeys, and it was through this careful editing that we found the right balance.”

Chong’s control is clear on screen. Every frame serves a purpose, letting the emotion grow naturally without overdoing it. The film’s cinematography, by Matthew P. Scott, accentuates this sensibility, creating a world that is intimate as well as expansive.

Matthew, who is now married to Chong after being her partner during production, laughed as he recounted their collaborative process: “Unlike most films, we didn’t have formal meetings to plan everything. We really came together and developed the film organically. I remember struggling with how to visually capture the circus scenes, and then we took a trip to Barcelona and visited the Sagrada Familia. The grandeur of that place really resonated with me – it had that ‘wow’ factor. That’s when I realised that this is how the circus should feel for Go-wing the first few times she experiences it.”

Chong nodded in agreement. “I think it felt like a religious place for Go-wing.”

“Yes,” Matthew continued, “the circus transcended Go-wing’s ordinary life. It’s exactly what your review said – the circus contrasts with the stillness of her life.”

The circus in High Wire is a literal and symbolic space. It is a place of freedom, risk, and, fittingly, balance, reflecting the precarious tightrope that Go-wing must walk between her father’s expectations and her own desires. Chong elaborated on the script: “It was written in English, with some dialogue in Chinese, because I had to write it for the lead actor, Mr. Lim. In terms of scene instructions and the script itself, the rest of the crew could read it without knowing the culture; however, I always tried to explain and describe the scene when they were connected to the culture-related scene.”

The film’s production schedule was tight. “I think the main shoot was 22 days, and then we had six days of pick-ups,” Matthew explained. “With the limitations we had, we were really forced to think about every scene.”

For Isabella Wei, who plays Go-wing, the filming process was defining. “You know, I have said it so many times to my friends and Calif that High Wire is my favourite project that I ever worked on,” she said. “Because of that really big difference, one thing the film does very well is the idea of family in that unexpected circle of people in the circus. The community she doesn’t really seem to get along with is where she finds her family. I really felt that too when I started on High Wire.”

Wei, who recently appeared in Netflix’s 1899 and The Crow, reflected on the contrast with her past roles: “It was all very glamorous experiences, but High Wire, we didn’t have the luxury of keeping each other separate or having our own space. All the time, during the shooting, we were all together, and that’s why I feel so close to everyone on this film. The most transformative moment was a week of shooting when I really started to feel and think that during the previous week of filming, there was not a single day that I was unhappy. I was happy having consistently cheerful and happy days. It was amazing to be surrounded by people who were so motivated and determined, especially with the time constraint. I really feel like High Wire filming has become sort of a community project, especially in North Yorkshire, where there is barely anyone there besides sheep. [laughs] So yes, we have become a close-knit family on set.”

Wei also shared how intimately she related to Go-wing’s struggles: “I spent my life growing up in Hong Kong, and I think that sheltered me from that immigrant experience from living here in the UK and experiencing all those feelings. However, a lot of friends who are British-born Chinese and other people of colour, and those who I worked with on this film, really opened my eyes to this experience. But I definitely relate to going in search of creativity and that unwavering desire to go for what you believe in. Balancing that familiar expectation is something a lot of Asian people in the arts, and kids in general, really feel – the weight of your parents’ expectations. Growing up, I definitely related to the feeling of making sure everyone is happy, to impress everyone. That is very hard, and you do have to be selfish. That is what I learned growing up, and this was beautifully captured by Calif in her story.”

The father-daughter dynamic, played by Ka-Wah Lam and Wei, is at the emotional center of the film. Their scenes are charged, fraught with unspoken histories, love, and tension. “Mr. Lim, he is so amazing,” Wei said of Lam. “In that [strong and emotional] scene [when I argue with the father] in particular, it really felt like we were going head-to-head as actors, seeing who could overpower the other. And I think that contributed to why the scene felt so powerful. Funnily enough, we only did two takes of that. Calif wanted it done all in one take, which I was really intimidated by the day before because I had so many lines to memorise in this really long argument scene. But I’m really glad she insisted on doing it that way, because it made all the emotions very tangible. It really felt like we were arguing, which was quite intense.”

Chong elaborated on her directing philosophy for that scene: “I told them they didn’t need to stick exactly to the lines, but they ended up following the script word-for-word, which was amazing. She had told me beforehand that she was really nervous, so I decided we’d tackle her scene first and get it out of the way, leaving the simpler stuff for later in the evening. I remember vividly – it was the big scene we had scheduled after lunch, which was around four o’clock. We went with her first so she could get it off her chest sooner. I was completely stunned when she nailed it in one take. I thought maybe we should do one more just for safety, but I was also worried she wouldn’t be able to cry again because she was so perfect. It was truly a magical moment for me.”

The metaphor of the high wire resonates beyond Go-wing’s literal circus act. “Personally, as an artist and an immigrant, I walk the high wire every single day,” Chong confessed. “Sometimes I feel like I have to constantly balance my day job, which is still in film, while keeping my separate directing and writing career under wraps. I was once told by a colleague that they didn’t want someone who’s only 90% focused on their day job, so I felt uncomfortable sharing this side of myself. I want to give 100% to everything I do, but it can be really challenging. Ultimately, I remind myself why I make films: in a cinema, people give you their full attention for those hours, and it’s your chance to tell your story. It’s like walking a high wire – there’s nothing else, just that wire. You have to walk it, or you fall. It’s a perfect metaphor for pursuing a creative life: you go all in, or not at all.”

Cinematography and editing underpin the emotional stakes of the film, with Matthew P. Scott’s lens capturing both the rhythms of Go-wing’s daily life and the wonderful spectacle of the circus. Nathan Summerfield’s editing ensures the story flows with grace, balancing tension, humour, and reflection. Isabella Wei carries the story, bringing Go-wing to life with courage, vulnerability, and youthful determination. Ka-Wah Lam gives depth to her father, showing a man shaped by love, disappointment, and hope.

In High Wire, stepping into the circus, for Go-wing, is a new beginning; a dance between falling and rising, between the weight of family legacy and the pursuit of one’s own dreams. It’s a film that speaks to anyone who has ever straddled cultures, who has ever tried to reconcile the expectations of others with their own inner voice. In the end, the film’s genius lies not only in its visual poetry or technical mastery but in the humanity it reflects.

Written and interviewed by Maggie Gogler

Featured image courtesy of BFI LFF / Matthew P. Scott & Silent D Pictures

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