Someone said after a recent screening of Homeless FC, “That social worker – what keeps him going?”
What keeps him going? We’ve been asking ourselves the same question for the longest time. How on earth does Wai Tung do what he does? The organizing and cajoling, the hours spent listening to problems. Even more time devoted to searching for solutions. Long, frustrating nights mediating disputes. And in between all that, he still manages to find the energy to attend football practices twice a week, organize protests and community meetings, entertain pesky reporters, deliver food and other necessities to those living on the streets, AND AND AND raise a family. There’s nothing tired or jaded about this man. Not even after two decades in the same job.
A lot of people who’ve watched our film marvel at how Wai Tung bothered to trek down Chor Pat when he went missing. Here’s what they don’t know – that scene on the bus happened only after at least two failed search attempts. Tung spent several evenings scouring the streets of Shamshuipo and Cheung Sha Wan. It was… erm, not a whole lot of fun.
And then, there’s that sense of humour. Footage of him and Hung trying to make up, and sing, a Dawn Team theme song never fails to crack us up (no, it’s not in the film, and yes, we might just decide to share it one day). Then, there are shots of Tung and the rest of the gang boogeying the night away at the closing party of the Homeless World Cup. We told him he looked like a muppet. He waved his hands in the air and danced some more.
What keeps him going?
We had half an answer during our world premiere in Hong Kong last year. Tung introduced us to his wife after the screening. “She’s my biggest supporter,” he said. “She is the reason why I can do my work.”
And then his phone rang. And he had to excuse himself to go off and talk to yet another person needing help.
