Cover Courtesy of Joycelyn Choi

In Tatler’s new series, where we learn about the secret lives of the tastemakers in Hong Kong’s cultural scene, we speak to the general manager of Movie Movie and founder of Life is Art festival.

Joycelyn Choi, who founded Edko Film’s arthouse television channel Movie Movie in 2012, has loved films for as long as she can remember. As a little girl, she would hide around the corner at home, peeking out at the weekend blockbusters her father was watching, until he spotted her and sent her to bed. Years later, Choi’s love of films led her to become the general manager of Movie Movie. Choi also helped set up in 2015 the Life is Art Festival, a month-long autumn film event where local and international art films are screened and celebrated, and in 2017 Movie Movie’s cinemas. This month, Movie Movie is working with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta for the first time at Life is Art to show films of concerts that kept music events going in the city during the pandemic.

Tatler Asia
Above Joycelyn Choi at Cannes. Courtesy of Joycelyn Choi.

8am

I seldom set an alarm clock unless I have a morning meeting. My brain literally starts thinking about work when I open my eyes... so much for work life balance. Still, I find time for breakfast before I head to the office. Simple toast is my go-to. My favourite is avocado toast paired with granola with nuts and crispy frozen strawberries. I enjoy anything that makes me happy – having breakfast with my family is definitely one important criterion.

If I have time, I go for a morning walk in my neighbourhood along the river before I go to work, and read the daily Bible verse on my phone along the way. I enter my “workspace” through my phone before I reach my office, and I often make deals and negotiate on the phone on my way to work.

See also: 10 Cultural Events To Catch In Hong Kong In Autumn 2021

1.30pm

I avoid the lunchtime crowd and have a late lunch. I usually go for sandwiches, sushi or pasta, but most of all I am a pizza person. Emmer Pizzeria and Café and The Pizza Project, which are close to my office in Admiralty, are among my favourites.

If I have time after lunch, I sometimes build a quick Lego set—two of my favourite hobbies are building Lego sets and geocaching. Not many people know this, but I’m a certified facilitator of the Lego Serious Play Method, a technique where people use Lego bricks to build things that metaphorically represent their personal or business challenges.

Tatler Asia
Above Choi was trained under Robert Rasmussen, one of the architects of the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method. Courtesy of Joycelyn Choi.

3pm

Every afternoon is different, but most of the time it consists of a string of meetings with partners and clients.

7pm

To wind down, I wander around the city and explore new places without a particular agenda. I feel the most relaxed when I can see and hear the sea, and when I’m immersed in the world of film and Lego. That’s why I fill up my evenings with watching movies or the television, building more Lego sets, and geocaching.

Tatler Asia
Above Movie Movie's opening party, featuring Keanu Reeves. Courtesy of Joycelyn Choi.

Midnight

I maintain my physical and mental well-being by switching off from social media once in a while. Eight hours of sleep definitely help.

See also: A Day in the Life of Paul Tam, West Kowloon’s Executive Director for Performing Arts

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