Tommy Ng Kai-chung

Graduate, School of Creative Media
Director of Another World, Winner of Best Animated Feature at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards

“I am most gratified that audiences have appreciated and been inspired by my work.”

At the 62nd Golden Horse Awards, the Hong Kong animated film Another World became the sixth Hong Kong animation to be honoured as the Best Animated Feature in the past decade. By December 2025, the film successfully grossed over HK$15 million at the box office, becoming the year’s top-grossing local film. In his acceptance speech, Director Tommy Ng Kai-chung (Tommy) ardently stated, “Whether in life or creating animation, one must nail the key frames, fill the in-between frames with joy, and correct any mistakes.”

Tommy graduated from the School of Creative Media (SCM) at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) in 2013. Since secondary school, he has developed an interest in animation, particularly for Japanese animated films. He names the late Japanese director Satoshi Kon, often referred to as the “Godfather of Japanese Animation”, as one of the most profound inspirations in his life, especially through Kon’s masterpiece, Millennium Actress. When choosing his university programme, Tommy firmly believed that his first choice—CityUHK’s Creative Media programme—was absolutely the correct decision. He was drawn to its curriculum, believing it offered systematic training in animation production, and was further impressed by the outstanding works created by the School’s graduates.

Reflecting on his academic journey, Tommy noted that he initially expected the programme to focus primarily on 2D animation techniques. However, the curriculum proved far more comprehensive and diverse, encompassing film production, cinematography, theoretical analysis and 3D animation software. This deepened his understanding of the entire animation industry workflow. He highlighted how this training had broadened his horizons, enabling him to employ different media more flexibly in his subsequent filmmaking endeavours, while gaining insights into the techniques employed by his peers and mentors.

In 2018, Tommy founded Point Five Creations, which primarily provides animation production services for local and international companies. Many members of his team are fellow CityUHK alumni, demonstrating how the SCM emphasises applied learning and successfully cultivates students’ ability to apply their knowledge in practical, professorial setting.

Following the success of his short film Another World, Tommy dedicated over seven years to expanding it into a feature-length film. Adapted from Japanese author Naka Saijo’s novel Millennium Ghost, the animation explores themes of resentment and closure, set against a fantastical underworld between death and reincarnation. Amidst a backdrop of stunning scenery, protagonist Yuri embarks on a journey to let go of her earthly regrets. Guided by the masked spirit Gudo, she learns to release her emotional baggage and forgive herself in a poignant tale of self-discovery.

Tommy acknowledges that the greatest challenge during production was coordinating the entire team to move forward together. “Animation production requires a large workforce, with every stage requiring close coordination,” he says. “We didn’t have much local precedent to follow, so we often had to figure things out for ourselves.” This taught him to remain calm when unexpected problems arose and to communicate concisely with his team. He emphasised that teamwork should not involve hierarchical thinking, but rather a mutual respect for all opinions.

Regarding the future of Hong Kong’s animation and film industry, Tommy candidly stated that the industry is currently facing a difficult period. Nevertheless, he remains optimistic, believing that such hardships can lead to the emergence of innovative new works and that low-budget productions can yield surprising results. He encouraged practitioners to persevere, to experiment boldly with different styles, and to recognise that any future work has the potential to set new benchmarks for animation in Hong Kong.

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Last updated: 02-01-2026