Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - O'Brien Road, Wanchai

Watching the film, I thought this next shot was supposed to be the view from Josie's window in the apartment where she is employed, but perhaps it was just a transitional shot for the sequence where her employers callously cancel her holiday, take her passport and then lock her in their apartment while they go off on their own holiday.

Anyway, this image shows the view looking south along Thomson Road/O'Brien Road and so was most definitely captured from the walkway/footbridge above Wanchai MTR station. We've been in this area a couple of times in the last few months (Crossing Hennessy, Hafen der Düfte).

This lower image is from the opening sequence and shows a view along the footbridge but next to where it crosses Gloucester Road.

Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Winner Building, Happy Valley

Josie is employed (and therefore lives) with a family in the Winner Building next to the Happy Valley Tram Terminus. She gets off the tram to go home and walks through the building's main entrance. The 7-11 is still there, by the way.

Happy Valley Tram Terminus

We later see Josie wistfully looking out of the window of the apartment following her incarceration by her employers. The blue paint scheme on the outside of the building was removed (according to historical Streetview imagery) sometime between 2011 - 2016 when the building was renovated.

Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Johnston Road, Wanchai

Josie waits for a tram home and is barged out of the way as she goes to get on. In the background you can see the circular front of the old Chung Wui Apartment building on the corner of Wanchai and Johnston Roads which means we are on Johnston Road in this image.

Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Gloucester Road, Wanchai

Here's a nice image of the section of Gloucestr Road between O'Brien Road and Stewart Road. The low, white building on the left was the former Hong Kong Exhibition Centre that was knocked down about 10 years ago and replaced by the funky looking St Regis Hotel. The China Resources Building behind it also looks far more funky these days with an complete external renovation using copious amounts of glass. The pillars on the left are the ground floor of Central Plaza and this shot was captured from the footbridge at the end of O'Brien Road (this one).

Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Des Voeux Road Central

More opening sequence shows this view of the main junction between Des Voeux Road Central, Pedder Street, Chater Road and Connaught Place. The corner of Worldwide House can be seen on the right and Des Voeux Road continues into the distance to the right of frame.

Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Victoria Park

Some more of the opening scenes as we see a bunch of Hong Kongers doing their morning exercises in Victoria Park with the Central Library (note, Central Library is not located in Central, but in Causeway Bay in Wanchai District) in the background.

Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui

Another scene from the opening montage includes a shot of the ferries at the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier. It's a brief glimpse, but thankfully later in the film there is also some footage of the same area as Josie's friends wait for her on her day off not knowing she has been locked inside the apartment by her employers whilst they go on a jolly (lower images).

Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - View from The Peak

How about a Filipino film for a change? I've been on the lookout for an old Filipino film called Hongkong Honeymoon for many many years. It stars Zaldy Zshornack and (from some clips I have seen) features some nice 1960 B&W scenery from around Hong Kong. Sadly, it appears to be completely out of existence and I've had no luck. If anyone knows where a copy might be found, please feel free to comment.

In the meantime, here is another Filipino film of more recent vintage and one that is perhaps more relatable to the many Filipino domestic helpers who work and live in Hong Kong. Anak tells the story of Josie (Vilma Santos) who leaves the Philippines to come to Hong Kong to earn more money, but it's at the expense of the relationship with her children who resent her absence and misunderstand why she has left them. Things are made worse when her husband dies and she is unable to return for his funeral - let's just say that her Hong Kong employers aren't the nicest of people. Much of the story is set back in the Philippines where Josie returns after several years to reunite with her children. However, there are still a few scenes shot in Hong Kong that make it worthy of including on the blog.

The film was available to watch on Youtube via the official channel of Star Cinema who also produced it, but since I watched it just a few weeks ago it has been removed. You may get more luck searching their channel directly.

The film opens with Josie narrating about her life in Hong Kong over a variety of images of the place starting with this one taken from Lugard Road around the top of the Peak.