Our Time Will Come (2017) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

In occupied Hong Kong, Fang Lan moves from a bookish young woman to a resistance leader amid political danger, personal loss, and uncertain escape.

Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases

A City Under Occupation

Fang Lan lives in occupied Hong Kong, where starvation shapes her view of the people around her. She breaks her engagement and becomes involved in helping the resistance protect targeted intellectuals.

Key Events

• Occupied Hong Kong — Fang Lan lives in occupied Hong Kong amid widespread starvation. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu Location: Hong Kong
• Engagement Broken — Fang ends her engagement, criticizing Li's indifference to the starving population. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu, Li Jinrong / Wing Location: Hong Kong
• Intellectuals Face Execution — The resistance learns that the Japanese plan to execute Hong Kong intellectuals. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu Location: Hong Kong
• Escape to Free China — Fang helps Lau get Mao Dun and his wife out of Hong Kong. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu, Liu Heizai / Blackie Lau Location: Hong Kong

Choosing the Resistance

Fang helps Lau smuggle intellectuals out and joins the resistance despite her mother's objections. She rises to lead its East Hong Kong section as the occupation's dangers deepen.

Key Events

• Spy's Corpse Disposed — Fang assists Lau in disposing of the corpse of a spy executed by Lau. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu, Liu Heizai / Blackie Lau Location: Hong Kong
• Li Joins the Kempeitai — Li takes a position with the Kempeitai and sometimes secretly helps the resistance. Characters: Li Jinrong / Wing Location: Hong Kong
• Fang Joins Resistance — Against her mother's opposition, Fang joins the resistance. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu Location: Hong Kong
• East Hong Kong Leadership — By 1944, Fang has become leader of the resistance's East Hong Kong section. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu Location: East Hong Kong

Love and Rising Danger

Fang's feelings for Li persist even as she is drawn to Lau. Her mother carries a resistance message, is arrested, and becomes the focus of a failed rescue attempt.

Key Events

• A Complicated Attraction — Fang retains feelings for Li while becoming attracted to Lau. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu, Liu Heizai / Blackie Lau, Li Jinrong / Wing Location: Hong Kong
• Message Smuggled — Fang's mother smuggles an important message to assist her. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu Location: Hong Kong
• Mother Arrested — The Kempeitai arrests Fang's mother after she carries the message. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu Location: Hong Kong
• Station Rescue Fails — Fang and Lau attack the station to free her mother, but the attempt fails. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu, Liu Heizai / Blackie Lau Location: Kempeitai station

Loss and Uncertain Escape

Li is killed after his covert assistance to the resistance is discovered. Fang and Lau flee Hong Kong by junk, while their ultimate fate remains unknown and the narrative returns to modern Hong Kong.

Key Events

• Li's Resistance Aid Exposed — The Japanese discover that Li aided the resistance and warned Fang about her mother's detention. Characters: Li Jinrong / Wing, Fang Lan / Fang Gu Location: Hong Kong
• Li Is Killed — After discovering Li's resistance aid, Yamaguchi has him killed. Characters: Li Jinrong / Wing Location: Hong Kong
• Flight by Junk — With Hong Kong too dangerous, Fang and Lau flee by junk at night; their fate remains unknown. Characters: Fang Lan / Fang Gu, Liu Heizai / Blackie Lau Location: Hong Kong waters
• Modern Hong Kong — The image of Hong Kong in 1944 transforms into the city in the present day. Location: Hong Kong

Story Breakdown

• Occupied Hong Kong — Fang's early life is shaped by wartime hardship and the suffering of the population.
  • Citywide Starvation — Hong Kong's population faces starvation under occupation.
  • Broken Engagement — Fang ends her engagement because Li shows too little concern for the starving.
• Threatened Intellectuals — The resistance responds to plans to execute members of Hong Kong's intelligentsia.
  • Execution Threat — The resistance learns that targeted intellectuals face execution.
  • Escape Operation — Fang helps Lau smuggle Mao Dun and his wife out of Hong Kong.
• Fang Joins Resistance — Fang rejects her mother's preferred path for her and commits herself to resistance work.
  • Defying Objections — Fang joins despite her mother's strong opposition.
  • East Hong Kong Leader — By 1944, Fang leads the resistance's East Hong Kong section.
• Li's Divided Position — Li works for the Kempeitai while sometimes aiding the resistance.
  • Kempeitai Position — Li takes a position with the Japanese military police.
  • Covert Warning — Li tips Fang off about where her mother is being held.
• Entangled Affections — Fang's personal feelings complicate her connections within the resistance struggle.
  • Lingering Feelings — Fang continues to have feelings for her former fiancé, Li.
  • Growing Attraction — Fang becomes attracted to Lau through their shared resistance work.
• Mother's Arrest — A message carried for Fang leads to her mother's arrest and a desperate rescue attempt.
  • Smuggled Message — Fang's mother carries an important resistance message to assist her.
  • Failed Rescue — Fang and Lau attack the Kempeitai station but fail to free her mother.
• Loss and Escape — The resistance's allies face severe consequences, and Fang and Lau leave Hong Kong with their fate unresolved.
  • Li Is Killed — Li is killed after his assistance to the resistance is discovered.
  • Nighttime Flight — Fang and Lau escape by junk, while the story leaves their ultimate fate unknown.
• Narrative Return — The historical story gives way to images of present-day Hong Kong and the narrator's ordinary work.
  • City Transforms — Hong Kong in 1944 transitions visually into modern Hong Kong.
  • Interview Ends — The elderly taxi driver breaks off the documentary interview and returns to work.

Directed by

Ann Hui

Key Cast

• Zhou Xun — Fang Lan / Fang Gu
• Eddie Peng Yu-Yan — Liu Heizai / Blackie Lau
• Wallace Huo — Li Jinrong / Wing
• Deanie Ip — Mrs. Fong
• Tony Leung Ka-fai — Ben