Stephen Fung

Hong Kong actor, singer, model, writer and film director Stephen Fung's third directorial effort "Jump" will come out soon to be screened for the year-end season. Fung has recently embarked on an intensive promotional campaign around China in hopes that it will help his movie "Jump" over some fierce box office competition.

Fung came to Beijing recently to promote his new film. Supervised by veteran Hong Kong comedian Stephen Chow, "Jump" is Fung's third directorial piece after "Enter the Phoenix" and "House of Fury".

It tells a story of a country girl who realized her showbiz dream by practicing hip-hop dance moves. The idea for the film started in Stephen Chow's 2007 film "CJ-7" when Fung often came to the shooting site to give his advice for Chow. During their discussions, the idea for making a movie about a village girl dancing hip-hop was initiated.

Born in 1974, Fung was partially raised in the United States. He attended the University of Michigan where he earned his degree in graphic design. In the mid-1990s, he returned to Hong Kong to form the band "Dry". In 1999, Fung released his solo album "Not Enough Love". But acting would always be his first love.

The experience that triggered Fung's interest in acting was a cameo appearance he made in Ann Hui's "Summer Snow" in 1994.

Fung gradually improved his skills through a string of small parts in films like "He Comes from Planet K", "First Love Unlimited", "The Poet", and "Gen-X Cops". In 1999, Fung finally played his first lead role in "The Sunshine Cops". The role of the soulful and spunky young policeman elevated his acting career to a new level.

In his later films, Fung strove to diversify his roles. Over time, he developed his own acting style in such films as "La Brassiere", "2002", and "Women from Mars".

In 2004, assisted by Jackie Chan, Fung made his directorial debut with "Enter the Phoenix". The commercial flick is a crime film about Hong Kong's underground mob. It depicts filial love through three pairs of fathers-and-sons in the underworld of gangsters. The film also touched upon the sensitive topic of homosexuality.

Fung continued his directorial foray in 2005's "House of Fury". Blending elements of comedy and Kung Fu, the movie won wide praise from both critics and audiences.

For his third film, Fung explains that the title of the film "Jump" has two layers of meaning. The first is a dimensional shift, which sees a rural girl move to the big city. "Jump" also refers to the character's spiritual leap. It gives enlightenment to people about how to overcome difficulties and realize their dreams.