Alan Mak on Under Current, Justice, and the Craft of Crime Storytelling

Alan MAK (1965, Hong Kong) is a filmmaker known as a director, screenwriter and producer whose work has played a major role in contemporary Hong Kong cinema. A graduate of the School of Drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, he made his directorial debut with Nude Fear (1998) before gaining wide acclaim with the “Infernal Affairs” Trilogy (2002-2003). The series became a landmark in Hong Kong crime cinema and earned major awards, including Best Film, Best Director (shared) and Best Screenplay at the Hong Kong Film Awards, as well as Best Feature Film and Best Director (shared) at the Golden Horse Awards. Mak has continued to collaborate frequently with Lau, Chong and other leading figures while directing a diverse body of commercially and critically successful works. On the occasion of “Under Current” screening at Rotterdam, Alan Mak talks about the origins of the movie, the research that shaped its screenplay, and the themes of justice, corruption and financial crime that run through his work. He also reflects on his collaboration with actors Aaron Kwok, Simon Yam and Francis Ng, his approach to structuring complex narratives, and the visual philosophy behind the project. Under Current screened at International Film Festival Rotterdam What first attracted you to the story that became “Under Current”? In fact, I have always been looking for different crime story subjects. In recent years, many criminal methods have shifted toward scams and money laundering. Money laundering, in particular, is a theme that has greatly attracted me, and I have been searching for real cases to see whether any could be developed into a screenplay. The idea of using a charitable organization as a front for money laundering was what interested me the most. You mentioned the script took three years to complete. What was the most challenging part of writing it? My method of writing is to explore many different stories, turn them into outlines, and then gradually expand on them. Sometimes, when I discover new information, I incorporate it into the story. That is why most of my screenplays take a relatively long time to complete. The original inspiration for “Under Current” came from a report in Hong Kong about a charity whose donation-to-administrative-expense ratio was 100:75, meaning that out of every 100 dollars donated, 75 were used for administrative costs. That caught my attention. Before I could begin writing, I needed to conduct extensive research and find the right entry points into the story. The most challenging part was identifying the right characters and narrative perspective, because without those, there is no proper foundation for building the screenplay. Check the review of the film Under Current (2025) by Alan Mak Film Review Why did you decide to return to themes of justice and corruption after “Integrity”? In fact, my screenwriting has always revolved around justice and corruption. Starting from “Overheard”, my works have focused on greed, justice, and corruption. Although I addressed these themes once in “Integrity”, I personally felt that I did not explore them deeply enough. I believe I will continue to examine and dig further into this subject in future projects. How did the casting of Aaron Kwok, Simon Yam and Francis Ng shape the characters you had written? Every time I write a screenplay, I begin with the characters rather than thinking about specific actors. I first decide what kind of person the character is and what their personality is like. Only after establishing that framework do I look for actors. I believe that it is precisely these distinctive character perspectives that attract actors to portray them. Of course, actors also provide feedback on their roles. For example, with Aaron Kwok’s lawyer character, my original idea was that he would be a very ordinary lawyer, not too eye catching. However, Aaron Kwok is not an ordinary presence; he is a superstar. Therefore, adjustments were made to the character’s outward design and even his costume style to suit the actor’s qualities. The biggest change was that in portraying Ma Ying-fung, he emphasized the character’s sense of justice more strongly than I had originally written, which was a positive influence. I needed an actor who absolutely believed that the character’s sense of justice was innate, rooted in the trauma of his mother’s death. Simon Yam’s character required relatively fewer changes. In contrast, Francis Ng’s role underwent more adjustments. Initially, I conceived Or Ting-pong as a young detective, which created a noticeable age contrast with the actor. However, through the detailed nuances he brought to the role, he made the audience believe in the character’s many years of dedication as a police officer, resulting in an even stronger performance. The narrative is quite complex, with many parallel arcs. How did you approach structuring the story? My approach is to first write the story in chronological order. Then I consider the structure. I ask myself what kind of timeline expression would best suit the story: parallel storylines, flashbacks, or a straightforward linear approach. The key is determining which structure enhances audience engagement the most. Therefore, when constructing the narrative framework, I always prioritize keeping the audience invested. The relationship between Ma Ying-fung and Or Ting-pong is central. What did you want to show through their dynamic? If you have seen the story, you will notice that they are very different people. One is a cautious lawyer with a clear understanding of the law, while the other is a law enforcement officer who sometimes operates within legal gray areas in order to advance his investigations. Their relationship is inherently compelling. Their confrontations, mutual support, and growing trust demonstrate that friendship can transcend professional boundaries. At the same time, I would also like to mention the relationship between Ma Ying-fung and Yeung To. I find their connection very interesting because they never meet and their timelines never intersect. Yet there is an interaction in spirit: a shared sense of justice that influences each other across distance. I find that particularly exciting, and it strongly drives the development of the story. The action scenes are intense and fast paced. How did you balance these with the investigative elements? Hong Kong cinema has always maintained a high standard in designing action sequences. However, I do not deliberately include many action scenes in my work. They appear only when necessary, and they must be precise and fast. Personally, I feel that prolonged action can slow the narrative pace. This approach can be considered one of my stylistic traits. The visual style is very polished and stylized. What were your main references for the look of the movie? When shooting each project, I do not overthink the visual style. I am not the type of director who focuses excessively on stylization. I primarily follow the needs of the story, selecting appropriate shots and ensuring that each frame effectively conveys the narrative. In many cases, the cinematographer plays a significant role in shaping the visual style. For “Under Current”, I collaborated with cinematographer Kenny Tse Chung To, whose visual sensibility I greatly admire. He contributed extensively to the shot design this time, and I am very grateful for his involvement. Do you think “Under Current” reflects contemporary concerns in Hong Kong’s corporate and legal world? I believe that the method of laundering money through charitable organizations depicted in “Under Current” is not unique to Hong Kong. Although Hong Kong is a place where capital flows freely, such situations could occur anywhere in the world. Especially with the global shift in criminal methods, such as online scams, these issues are not limited to any single region. I believe audiences in different parts of the world can relate to these concerns. After completing “Under Current,” what kind of project would you like to work on next? At the moment, I have several projects in development. Some of them are different in genre from my previous works. As I mentioned earlier, the key factor is which idea matures the fastest. Therefore, nothing has been firmly decided yet. However, I hope my next project will be of a different genre from “Under Current”. Tags:Alan MakSimon YamUnder Current