Kung fu hustle: Hong Kong action film actor turns mentor for stunt performers

With leaps and falls on screen, Hong Kong actor Andrew Clifford Pong King-fung is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of martial artists and stunt professionals through his studio to honour the rich heritage of the city’s action and kung fu films.

Established in 2022, the New Era Martial Club in Quarry Bay offers the public a place to try seemingly dangerous movie stunts in a safe setting and allows Pong to share his know-how with aspiring action performers.

“Our primary mission is to promote and cultivate a new generation of Hong Kong martial artists and to make them become more aware of Hong Kong’s cultural diversity, especially in Hong Kong action cinema and kung fu in general,” the 34-year-old founder of the club said, adding the group welcomed individuals of all ages and backgrounds.

Hong Kong cinema is renowned for its martial arts productions over the decades, from wuxia legends to kung fu epics, featuring superstars ranging from Bruce Lee and Sammo Hung Kam-bo to Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen Ji-dan.

The films of John Woo Yu-sen and wire work techniques adopted by figures such as Yuen Woo-ping in the 1980s and early 1990s also influenced Hollywood and cemented Hong Kong’s legacy as a powerhouse of action filmmaking.

Pong’s passion for action cinema was ignited in childhood, largely through watching the movies of his parents, Chin Siu-ho and Sharon Kwok Sau-wan, as well as his uncle, Chin Ka-lok. The Chins are both renowned martial arts actors and action choreographers in the city.