The period thriller "Secret in the Box" is competing in the main competition of the 28th [1] Shanghai International Film Festival this year [2].
The film brings renewed international attention to a notorious cold case from Hong Kong's history. By dramatizing a high-profile crime, the production explores the intersection of historical true crime and cinematic storytelling on a global stage.
Directed by Frankie Tam Kwong-yuen and starring lead actor Zhang Songwen, the movie focuses on the infamous Happy Valley Box Murder [1]. The original crime took place in 1974 [1] in the Happy Valley district of Hong Kong. The case remains one of the region's most discussed mysteries due to the nature of the discovery and the circumstances surrounding the victim.
Zhang Songwen and Tam Kwong-yuen appeared at a press conference in Shanghai to discuss the project [1]. The film is currently entered in the competition for the Golden Goblet Awards, the festival's top prize [1].
The production seeks to recreate the atmosphere of 1970s Hong Kong while dissecting the events of the 1974 [1] murder. This approach allows the filmmakers to examine the social and legal climate of the era, a period of significant transition for the city.
As the 28th [1] edition of the festival unfolds in 2026 [2], the inclusion of "Secret in the Box" highlights a trend of using archival criminal history to drive narrative tension in contemporary Asian cinema. The film's presence in the main competition suggests a strong critical interest in how the production handles the sensitive details of the real-life tragedy.
“The film focuses on the infamous Happy Valley Box Murder.”
The selection of a film based on a 1974 cold case for a major competition like the Golden Goblet Awards indicates a growing appetite for 'true crime' narratives within the prestige cinema circuit. By revisiting the Happy Valley Box Murder, the filmmakers are not only pursuing an award but are leveraging a known historical trauma to explore themes of justice and memory in a modern cinematic context.
