High Noon

The Hong Kong chapter of Eric Tsang's "Growing-up Trilogy" bears testimony to the saying: "The kindness of the gods is manifested in allowing young people to embark on life unprepared." Heiward Mak, the 23-year-old director whom people in the inner circle repute to be the next shining star of Hong Kong cinema, crafts a string of vignettes about seven young people about to sit for a major public exam. Clever, humorous, angry and dangerous, this is the Cruel Stories of Youth for the Me Generation of this century of globalization and mediocrity

• woman director