TUFS Cinema Presents Hong Kong Film “The Lyricist Wannabe” Screening

December 19, 2025

On Saturday, December 13, 2025, TUFS Cinema hosted a screening of the Hong Kong film “The Lyricist Wannabe” at TUFS.

This film depicts a young woman striving to fulfill her dream of becoming a lyricist, rooted in the real-life experiences of director Norris Wong, who herself aspired to be a lyricist. The film's appeal lies in its realistic portrayal of the bittersweet youth of dream-chasing young people alongside the behind-the-scenes realities of Hong Kong's music industry. 

Following the screening, an explanation was provided by Mr. Kōta Oguri (Junior Fellow, TUFS Research Institute for Asian and African Languages and Cultures), a researcher of Hong Kong culture and popular music who also handled the subtitle translation for this film. In Hong Kong Cantonese pop music, matching tones with melodies is essential, requiring highly sophisticated lyric selection techniques. The commentary provided detailed explanations of this craft, deepening understanding of the film's context. The discussion further extended to Japanese lyric-writing techniques and the challenges of translation, offering a moment to reflect on the relationship between words and song.