12 Days: Ron Heung in A City Without Baseball

'In a city where baseball culture is non-existent, these baseball players are a minority by choice. The experience teaches them to be free-thinkers in dealing with love, friendship and their own sexuality. It also enables them to find the will to live in the face of death and the strength to conquer losing in a spectator-less sport.'

Ron by Yuman Ng

Male nudity, especially full frontals, is still considered taboo in East Asia.  This includes most art forms  including photography and cinema.  Some filmmakers however, have chosen to push the boundaries.  This includes the writers, producers and director behind 2008's A City Without Baseball. (Mou ye chi sing)

I may have helped the movies acceptance that the cast was made up of actual members of the Hong Kong Baseball Team.  The team members bared both their souls, and their bodies playing themselves in the fictional youth dram.  One of them included the teams pitcher Ron played by real life baseball player and actor Ron Heung.

Heung was first discovered for the film by award-winning Hong Kong Filmmaker Scud, and the film proved to be the start of a new career for Heung whose gone to star and direct in several other films. Heung instantly stood out to me when I saw the film, especially his long hair and beautiful face and eyes.  He also seemed to have the most nudity in the film.

The producers didn't shy away from frontals, nor did they shy away from promoting the male nudity in the films promotion.  Given the film was focused on a baseball team, several of the shower room scenes were front and center in the trailer and promotional material.  The film actually opens with a steamy shower scene as the opening credits scroll by.