A list of the earliest films produced in Hong Kong from the first film in 1909 to 1949 in year order.
| Title | Director | Cast | Genre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 | ||||
| Stealing the Roast Duck | Comedy short | First dramatic film production in Hong Kong, made by Asia Film Company of Shanghai.[1] | ||
| 1913 | ||||
| Zhuangzi Tests His Wife | Lai Man-Wai, Lai Pak-hoi | Comedy short | First film made by a Hong Kong studio, but never screened in Hong Kong. | |
| 1922 | ||||
| Rouge | Drama | First feature film produced by a Hong Kong company (China Sun), but shot in Guangzhou. | ||
| 1925–30 | ||||
| No films were made in Hong Kong as a result of the Great Canton–Hong Kong strike. | ||||
| 1931 | ||||
| Iron Bone and Orchid Heart | Yao-yu Sek, Kit-ching Fung | Romance | ||
| The Pain of Separation | Kin-han Lap, Wah-chi Cheung | Romance | First Hong Kong film adapted from a Cantonese folk tale/opera | |
| The Witty Sorcerer | Comedy/Drama | |||
| 1932 | ||||
| Cry of the Cuckoo in the Temple | Fable | |||
| Gunshot at Midnight | Mystery | |||
| 1933 | ||||
| Conscience | First partial talkie. | |||
| Flowers Fall and Catkins Fly | Wong Toi | Romance | Filmed in Vietnam, this was the first HK film shot at an overseas location, but never released in Hong Kong. | |
| The Fool Pays Respects | Fantasy | Based on a Cantonese folk tale | ||
| The Shining Pearl | Action | |||
| 1934 | ||||
| The Fool's Nuptial Chamber | First full talkie. | |||
| The Body Snatchers | Wong Toi | Horror | Hong Kong's first horror film | |
| Mourning of the Chaste Tree Flower | Runje Shaw, Runme Shaw, Runde Shaw | Pak Kui-Wing, Woo Tip-Ying, Tai Hau-Ho | Drama | |
| 1935 | ||||
| Life Line | ||||
| The Modern Bride | Moon Kwan Man-Ching | Lam Kwan-San, Lee Yi-Nin, Yip Yan-Foo | Comedy | |
| Opera Stars and Song Girls | Kwan Ting-Yam | Tse Sing-Nong, Tam Yuk-Lan, Ma Kam-Neong, Tam Siu-Fung | Cantonese opera | |
| Scent of Wild Flowers | So Yi | Drama | First film directed by So Yi.[2] | |
| Yesterday's Song (aka Voice of the Broken-hearted) | Chiu Shu-San | Drama | [3] | |
| 1936 | ||||
| House Number 66 (aka The Case of the Dismembered Body) | Tong Sing-To, Wu Yung, Cheng Lau-Kuen | Drama | ||
| New Youth | So Yi | Drama | ||
| Sum Hun | ||||
| 1937 | ||||
| The Light of Women | Go Lee-Han | War | [4] | |
| The Magnificent Country | Chan Tin | Ng Cho-Fan, Yin Pak, Lam Lai-Ping | War | [5] |
| Producing Citizens | Lee Fa | Kwong Shan-Siu, Lam Mui-mui, Tai Hau-Ho, Lee Yuet-ching, Fok Suet-Yee | Drama | [6] |
| The Sentimental Woman | So Yi, Liu Shut | Romance | ||
| Spring Flower and Autumn Moon | Cheung Oi-Man | Violet Wong, Lam Mui-mui, Wu Mei-Lun | Musical | |
| Sweetie | Yeung Kung-Leung | Tam Yuk-Lan, Ching Siu-Fung, Chu Ying-Mui | Cantonese opera | |
| 1938 | ||||
| A Mother's Tears | Chiu Shu-San | Drama | Released 25 May 1938.[7] | |
| To Lei Chang Chun | [8] | |||
| Ou Sui Sing Chi | [9] | |||
| Mei Yan Kuk | [10] | |||
| Behind the Shanghai Front Line | ||||
| Great Wall of Blood and Flesh | National defence | Patriotic film against Japanese invasion | ||
| Incident in the Pacific | Hou Yao | Lee Yi-Nin, Lo Ban-Chiu, Chow Siu-Ying | War | [11] [12] |
| Last Minute Call | National defence | Patriotic film against Japanese invasion | ||
| Female Soldier | ||||
| Eighth Heaven | Musical | |||
| The Purple Cups | Hou Yao | Drama | ||
| Rouge Tears | Drama | Cantonese remake of 1934 silent The Goddess | ||
| Rouge Tears | Drama | Mandarin remake of 1934 silent The Goddess | ||
| Shanghai Under Fire | Chiu Shu-San | Yin Pak, Lee Ching | War | Released 9 June 1938.[13] |
| 1939 | ||||
| It's a Woman's World (aka The Thirty-six Amazons) | Esther Ng Gam-Ha, Liu Shut | Violet Wong, Tai Hau-Ho, Wu Mei-Lun, Wu Tip-Lai, Ha Bo-Lin, To Sam-Ku, Chan Sin-Yue, Chan Pooi-Choh, Tong Lee-Lee, Mui Yee | Drama | |
| Judge Bao Vs. the Eunuch | Wan Hoi-Leng, Hung Chung-Ho | Tsang Sam-To, Leong Suet-Fei, Ma Kam-Neong | Historical Drama | |
| Lone Island Paradise | National defence | Mandarin film produced by the Shanghai exiles from the Second Sino-Japanese War. | ||
| The Luminescent Cup | Go Lee-Han, Yeung Tin-Lok | Drama | ||
| The Radio Station Murder Case | Detective | The Charlie Chan series. | ||
| Rivals in Love | So Yi | Drama | [14] [15] | |
| The Seductive Empress Now and Then | Hung Chung-Ho | Drama | ||
| Storm over the Pacific | National defence | Patriotic film against Japanese invasion | ||
| 1940 | ||||
| The Boundless Future | ||||
| The Love of a Woman ( | Wang Yin | Drama | ||
| The Red Scarf | Sung Gim-Chiu | Pak Yin, Kwong Shan-Siu, Fung Fung, Ling Mung, Chao Fei-Fei, To Sam-Ku, Chow Siu-Ying, Ho Lai-Wan | Romance | Film debut for Star Film Company.[16] |
| The Seductive Woman | Lee Tit | Romance | ||
| White Clouds of Home | ||||
| 1941 | ||||
| A Mother's Madness (aka Dianpo Xun Zai) | Wong Fook-Hing | Drama | [17] | |
| Chaos in the Universe | Cheung Oi-Man | Comedy | ||
| Golden Gate Girl | Drama | Film debut of Bruce Lee (as an infant).[18] | ||
| The Metropolis | Lai Ban | Drama | ||
| Roar of the People | Tang Xiao-Dan | Cheung Ying, Fung Fung, Wong Aau, Chan Tin-Chung, Fung Ying-Seung, Ng Wui, Lee Dan-Lo, Leung Miu-Sik, Walter Tso Tat-Wah, Ko Lo-Chuen | War | [19] |
| 1942 | ||||
| The Rich House | Hung Suk-Wan | Drama | [20] [21] | |
| The Battle of Hong Kong | War propaganda | The only film made during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong. | ||
| 1944 | ||||
| 1946 | ||||
| The Entangling Ones | Chiu Shu-San | Wong Hok-Sing, Kwun-Ling Chow, Wong Chiu-Miu | Comedy | [22] |
| 1947 | ||||
| A Wealthy Family | Yam Wu-Fa | Ng Cho-Fan, Ng Dan-Fung, Lee Lan, Tsi Po-To, Yee Chau-Sui, Fung Ying-Seung, Ma Siu-Ying, Cheng Kwun-Min, Fung Pak-Wah, To Mei-Mei, Leung Ming, Keung Chung-Ping, Sin Kong | Comedy | [23] |
| Cuckoo's Spirit in March | Hung Suk-Wan | Drama | [24] | |
| The Distressed Lover | Cheung Wood-Yau, Yung Siu-Yi, Yung Yuk-Yi, Fung Ying-Seung, Wu Mei-Lun | Chinese Opera | ||
| The Evil Mind | Wu Pang | Drama | ||
| The Fickle Lady | Mok Hong-See | Ng Cho-Fan, Wong Man-lei, Yung Siu-Yi, To Mei-Mei, Lee Sin-Pan, Lee Yuet-Ching | Drama | |
| Happy Wedding | Chiang Wai-Kwong | Kwun-Ling Chow, Wong Chiu-Miu | Comedy, Cantonese opera | [25] |
| Lucky Bride | Chiu Shu-San | Mak Bing-Wing, Kwun-Ling Chow, Luk Wan-Fei | Drama | |
| The Net of Justice | Xu Xinyuan | Detective | The Charlie Chan series. | |
| Prostituting to Raise the Orphan | Hung Chung-Ho | Cheung Yuet-Yee, Sun-Ma Sze-Tsang, Lau Hak-Suen, Lam Ka-Sing, Ko Lo-Chuen, To Sam-Ku, Lee Sin-Pan, Cheng Bo-Yin | Cantonese opera | |
| Romance of the West Chamber | Yeung Kung-Leung | Pak Yuk-Tong, Lee Suet-Fong, Wong Man-Lei, Kwai Ming-Yang, Cheung Yuet-Yee, Siu Yin-Fei, Kam Yi, Yiu Ping, Ma Siu-Ying, Lau Kwai-Hong, Tsi Hau-Tsat, Lam Ka-Sing, Chao Fei-Fei | Historical Drama Cantonese opera | [26] |
| Unforgetable Love | So Yi, Chu Kei | Ma Sze-Tsang, Hung Sin-Nui, Lau Hak-Suen, Yip Ping, Siu Wong-Ang, Ling Mung, Ko Lo-Chuen, Law Mo-Lan, Wong Sau-Nin, Lai Ming, Ng Tung, Fung Ying-Seung, Tang Mei-Mei | Romance | The only film produced by Gam Luen (Jinying) Film Company. |
| Unpredictable Tomorrow | Yam Wu-Fa | Sun-Ma Sze-Tsang, Siu Yin-Fei, Yee Chau-Sui, Wu Mei-Lun, Ma Siu-Ying, Tsi Po-To, Leung Ying, Bai Yang, Sin Kong, Keung Chung-Ping, To Sam-Ku, Cheng Kwun-Min | Drama | |
| 1948 | ||||
| Charlie Chan Outwits the Black Despot | Xu Xinyuan | Detective | The Charlie Chan series. | |
| The Crazy Match-maker (aka The Crazy Matchmaker, Woman Dismantles White) | Lo Duen | Wong Chiu-Miu, Tsi Law-Lin, Lo Duen, Chan Yeuk-Ho, Lee Yuet-Ching, Tang Chuk-Kwun, Yip Chuen-Wah, Ho Bik-Kin, Fong Yeung, Fung Ging-Man, Wong Gam, Lau Ming, Hark Yan | Drama | Debut for Sei Hoi (Sihai) Film Company, a film production company.[27] [28] |
| Four Phoenixes Take Flight | Cho Kei | Comedy | [29] | |
| The Groom and His Double | Moon Kwan Man-Ching | Cheung Ying, Ng Lai-Sheung, Yee Chau-Sui, Lam Mui-mui, Tang Wai-Zhen, Sun Tsi-Hing, To Sam-Ku, Yip Yan-Foo, Law Sin-Yee, Lisa Mok Wan-Ha, Hui Yee-Wan, Lai Ming | Comedy | [30] |
| Hundreds of Children and Thousands of Grandchildren | Ng Wui | Cheung Ying, Pak Suet-Sin, Yip Ping, Tang Mei-Mei, Fa Bik-Ha, Yeung Sau-Fung | Comedy | |
| Joy and Success | Chow Sze-Luk | Sit Kok-Sin, Pak Yin, Tang Mei-Mei | Comedy | |
| Local Scholar | Mok Hong-See | Drama | ||
| The Lusty Thief Girl | Moon Kwan Man-Ching | Lee Yi-Nin, Chan Sin-Yue, Ng Lai-Sheung, Tai Hau-Ho, Lam Siu-Mui, Cheng Lau-Kuen | Crime | [31] |
| Mad Fire Mad Love | [32] | |||
| Return of the Swallows | Fung Chi-Kong, Fung Yat-Wai | Sit Kok-Sin, Siu Yin-Fei, Tsi Law-lin, Ma Siu-Ying, To Sam-Ku, Law Mo-Lan, Yeung Sau-Fung, Law Sin-Yee, Ma Siu-Ling, Gam Lau | Comedy | [33] |
| The Thirteenth Girl's Adventure in Nengren Temple | Hung Chung-Ho | Martial Arts | ||
| Wealth Is Like a Dream | Yue Leung | Drama | ||
| Woman's Heart | Drama | |||
| 1949 | ||||
| Adventure at the Women's House | Fung Chi-Kong | Chinese opera. | [34] | |
| The Ancient Beauty, Meng Lijun | Chan Pei | Chow Kwun-Ling, Sit Kok-Sin, Leung Siu-Kam, Ha Bo-Lin | Historical Drama | [35] |
| The Crazy Duke (aka The Crazy Earl) | Yeung Kung-Leung | Ma Sze-Tsang, Tsi Law-Lin, Lee Pang-Fei, Tang Mei-Mei, Ko Lo-Chuen, Gam Lau | Musical comedy | |
| The Eight Yang Sister Seeks Golden Knife | Martial Arts, Cantonese opera | [36] | ||
| Sima Fu's Encounter with the Honey Gang | Hung Suk-Wan | Thriller | ||
| Strange Bedfellows | Yue Leung | Pak Wan, Pak Lei, Ma Siu-Ying, Lam Mui-mui, Lau Kwai-Hong, Tang Mei-Mei | Comedy | |
| Tan Kei in the Meat Hill | But Fu | Man Kok-Fei, Chun Siu-Lei, Lau Hak-Suen, Kam Yi, Piu Wai-Mui | Historical Drama Cantonese Opera | |
| To Kill the Love | Chu Kei | Pak Yin, Cheung Wood-Yau, Tsang Nam-Sze, Lee Ngan, Chan Chui-Bing, Ho Chung-Fong | Drama | |
| The True Story of Wong Fei Hung | Early Kung Fu film | |||