He adds that he learnt some important lessons during the creative process, both about life and himself.

“Plotting the storyline was a dance between progress and frustration; not only because I’d never written a script before, so I found it challenging to tell the story within a condensed time window, but also because I had a chance to work with a team of film industry veterans for my first feature,” Cheng says. 

“Despite the pressure of disclosing my personal life to the public, crafting the script with established artists like Sandra Ng also gave me that type of happy-nervous feeling that kept my mind constantly occupied.”

Although since graduation around a decade ago he has built an impressive résumé–which includes being a radio DJ, managing creative projects at Universal Records and executing advertising campaigns at production agencies–and proved his ability to develop new ideas and work under pressure in a team, the idea of helming a movie had never really crossed his mind.

“I’ve always been passionate about creative work but I’d never thought about becoming a film director,” Cheng says. “It’s exciting to grow and have my vision shift with this project. To me, life is about growth and keeping yourself excited and challenged. I always tell myself, not to be afraid to take on big challenges, because they will have the potential to return the best rewards.”

He met Ng at a Thanksgiving dinner at Soho House in 2020; the actress started chatting to him and was intrigued by his story. “Sandra was the only person who spoke and was willing to speak Cantonese to me at my table that night. We had some interesting conversations about my family and how we started our online chilli sauce business during the pandemic.”

The two exchanged contacts that night; Ng called him a few days later suggesting they meet for a drink back at Soho House. Little did he know, he would also meet her partner, film director Peter Chan, as well as her friend and screenwriter Matthew Chow, and be offered the opportunity to make a film based on his personal experience.

“I didn’t expect it to be a pitch presentation for my first movie. I just went to that meeting and told them about myself and my family’s experiences. Looking back, it was a surreal moment to have those Hong Kong entertainment industry veterans sitting next to me and listening to my story,” Cheng says. “They thought my it was very authentic and interesting, and that could be expanded into a film that tells local stories."

Read more: The Most Iconic Hong Kong Actors and Actresses—Plus the Best Classic Local Movies of All Time

“I’d be lying if I said the process was easy, with all that script-writing and set design work, but it was a truly rewarding experience because I got to work with a young, collaborative team which everyone was excited to explore possibilities and worked hard to bring the project to life. Without teamwork, there was no way we could make it happen. I understood the importance of clear communication and I really enjoyed sharing my ideas and feedback with a variety of people during the production process,” he adds. 

Cheng says achieving authenticity of the plot, was possible largely thanks to the cast, which includes Mirror star Edan Lui, Gigi Leung, and Ronald Cheng. He says they all played a part in making the project a reality, but his greatest praise was for Ng. 

“I felt nervous at times when working with Sandra—not only because she’s the film’s producer, but also because she’s such a well-respected talent in the industry. It was a pleasure to work with someone like her, who is constantly striving for perfection and being incredibly open-minded to young people’s perspectives,” Cheng says. 

While Cheng has garnered critical acclaim for his debut feature, he is looking forward to picking up the chilli sauce business again rather than working on a new movie project. 

“Hong Kong culture deserves to be seen by a wider audience and I feel like chilli sauce can potentially be a new culinary symbol of our cultural identity,” he says. “I really want to collaborate with brands or restaurants and use our sauce, The Chilli Lab, to craft some creative delicacies together in the future.” 

After a pause, he continues. “Many people asked me if I would continue to pursue a career in filmmaking after the success of Chilli Laugh Story, but I decided to just go with the flow. I’d love to connect with the masses and tell more local stories through films in the future, but that will happen only if I find an angle that really interests me.” 

Chilli Laugh Story is now showing in selected cinemas across Hong Kong

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