Josephine Siao

Josephine Siao Fong-Fong MBE is a Hong Kong film star who became popular as a child actress and continued her success as a mature actress, winning numerous awards including Best Actress at the 45th Berlin International Film Festival (for Summer Snow).^[1] Since retiring from show business (partly due to her increasing deafness), she has become a writer and a psychologist, known for her work against child abuse.

Biography

Josephine Siao Fong-Fong was born as Siao Liang in Luzhi in Suzhou, Jiangsu. At the age of two, she was brought to Hong Kong by her parents.

Siao's first movie appearance was at age six, and she became one of the biggest teen idols in Hong Kong during the late 1960s, along with frequent co-star Connie Chan Po-chu. The two were often cast in wuxia films as disciples of the same master and sometimes—when Connie played the male lead—as young heroes in love. Back in the 1960s, Josephine's and Connie's fans maintained a heated rivalry. News of their fans getting into catfights was not uncommon in those days.

Unlike many child stars, Siao made a successful transition to adult stardom, remaining one of Hong Kong's most prolific and popular actresses. She was also one of the directors (co-directing with Leung Po-Chih 梁普智) and writers of Jumping Ash (跳灰). This film is regarded as a prelude to the Hong Kong New Wave in the 1980s by film critics.

Having largely missed out on formal education because of her acting career as a child, Siao pursued her studies in later years despite the handicap of increasing deafness and the demands of raising a family (she has two daughters by her second husband). During this time she made fewer films, but her output included highly praised work such as her award-winning performance in Summer Snow (1995) as a middle-aged widow trying to cope with her father-in-law suffering from Alzheimer's Disease.

Western fans of martial arts films will probably know her best from the Fong Sai-yuk films made in 1993, in which she played Jet Li's kung fu–fighting mother. (These films were released on Western DVD as The Legend.)

Siao has been retired from show business since 1997 in favour of her work in child psychology. In particular, she is a noted campaigner against child abuse, and founded the End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation, which she now chairs, in 1999. She is also a published author.

Some of the milestones in her life include:

• 1970: Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications and Asian Studies at Seton Hall University
• 1974: won the best actress award at Spain Film Festival and Taiwan Film Festival
• 1990: obtained a master's degree in child psychology from Regis University
• 1995: won the best actress award at the Berlin Film Festival for Summer Snow
• 1996: member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
• 2009: Life Achievement Award of the 28th Hong Kong Film Awards

Selective filmography

• An Orphan's Tragedy (1955)
• Rhythm of the Wave (1974)
• Jumping Ash (1976)
• Lam Au Chun (1978)
• The Spooky Bunch (1980)
• Plain Jane to the Rescue (1982)
• The Perfect Match (1982)
• A Friend from Inner Space (1984)
• The Wrong Couples (1987)
• Fist of Fury 1991 (1991)
• Fist of Fury 1991 II (1992)
• Too Happy for Words (1992)
• Fong Sai Yuk (1993)
• Fong Sai-yuk II (1993)
• Always on My Mind (1993)
• Kin Chan No Cinema Jack (1993)
• Summer Snow (1995)
• Hu-Du-Men (1996)
• Mahjong Dragon (1996)

Sources:^[2][3]

Book by Siao Fong Fong

• 洋相 : 英美社交禮儀

Siao Fong Fong Performing Art Hall

The Siao Fong Fong Performing Art Hall was established in 1998 at Shantang Street of Luzhi township in the Siao family's former residence.

References

External links

• Josephine Siao on IMDb
• Siao Fong Fong movies at cinemasie.com
• End Child Sexual Abuse Foundation (founded and chaired by Siao)