Ye Si’s smile gave people a sense of tender kindness. He was a man of avid curiosity and passion for everything around him. He dabbled in different cultures, worked across disciplines, and had many good friends from both the Eastern and Western hemispheres. His cultural insights are evident in his works, which reflect an era of time in Hong Kong. Ye Si’s oeuvre comprises poetry, prose, fiction and critique, with each genre exhibiting a facet of his literary excellence.

When the documentary was initiated in 2009, Ye Si suggested to the filming crew, “If you want to understand me, you should get acquainted with my friends. You will find parts of me in each of them.” Following Ye Si’s suggestion, the production team embarked on an exploratory journey into his life from 1950 through to the 21st century as a series of interviews took place. The interviewees included scholars, writers, artists, fashion designers, and food connoisseurs, as well as Ye Si’s family.

This documentary has captured rare footage of Ye Si’s last years of life. Beautiful and poetic, the film also epitomizes the vibrant culture of Hong Kong viable for interdisciplinary collaborations and the exchange of ideas.