HKCinemagic : You settled in Hong Kong around 1997. How did you land in the world of cinema?
Vincent Sze : That was a coincidence in fact. I still remember it when I met the shooting team of Task Force by Patrick Leung. I talked with the production manager. I had just finished my work in a travel agency. With my colleagues we had done a farewell party in a bar and the members of the shooting team of Task Force sat down just next to us. And the production manager asked me to play in the film. I told myself ‘why not, let's have a try'. Finally, I played 7 days in the film (laughs). That wasn't a job (laughs). But after the second day, I told myself: “Shit, I love cinema.”
Vincent Sze (middle)
well accompanied for his first appearance on HK big screens
HKCinemagic :
What was exactly your part
in Task Force ?
V S : Between supporting act and extra. I have 2 lines, one of which was cut. I'm part of Karen Mok and Leo Koo cop team.
HKCinemagic : After this contribution, you followed with Casino ?
V S : Yes. Except that in between I worked in a shop of Bordeaux wine imports (laughs). Because I hadn't found any job. There was a financial crisis in Hong Kong and it was hard getting a job. In cinema, it's not easy to get a part and it's even worse in full financial crisis! And so I found myself there. And all of a sudden, I got an offer as an extra for Casino. I wasn't too keen on playing an extra, I wanted a part. I was told I didn't have money, I hadn't been active and thus I wouldn't get a part like that. And also I hadn't much experience. So I accepted. There were 60 days of shooting in Macau . I got enrolled for 25 days.
HKCinemagic : This film is known for having been financed by the Triads. Was it felt during shooting?
V S :
Yes, quite. I remember when I had hardly arrived in Macau , we had to do the pre-shooting custom, burn incense in the temple. And when we put the incense I heard the noise of a big car coming. I turned round, it was a Lamborghini Diablo. The Triads leader got out of it and came to greet us. But on the set he was very kind. He even brought us the packed lunches at lunchtime. He could have ignored me as I was only an extra but he treated me well. For me, he was nice, but maybe not for the police (laughs).
HKCinemagic :Then you had a 2-3 year break, without shooting.
V S : I went back to Paris . I travelled quite a lot in all Europe . And then I ended up coming back to Hong Kong once again to try again my luck.