Infernal Affairs was a sell-out smash at last year's Festival, thrilling audiences with its hard-boiled action sequences, superb acting and intricate plotting. The film was so successful that its creators made a prequel and a sequel, back-to-back.

Infernal Affairs II is set between 1991 and 1997, climaxing at Britain's handover of Hong Kong to China. This prequel is kick-started with the murder of feared triad leader Kwun by young punk Ming (played by Andy Lau in Infernal Affairs), leading to a power struggle amongst rival triad bosses. After a bloody series of events, Kwun's son, Hau takes the reins and asserts his authority over the city. Flash forward to 1995, and Hau has cemented his control, taking under his wing a young hotshot, Yan (played by Tony Leung Chiu-wai in the first film). But Yan is a police mole, ordered to infiltrate the triad and bring down Hau. Meanwhile Ming, who enrolled in the Police Academy soon after assassinating Kwun, has joined the police force. But his interests are not so clear, as he is actually a subordinate of one of the triad bosses, Sam, who wants control of Hong Kong.

D Andrew Lau, Alan Mak P Andrew Lau S Alan Mak, Felix Chong WS Media Asia Distribution Ltd. L Cantonese w/English subtitles TD 35mm/Col/2003/119mins

Andrew Lau was born in 1960. Films include: Young and Dangerous (1997), Infernal Affairs (MIFF 2003, co-dir).

Alan Mak was born in 1965. Films include: Rave Fever (1999), A War Named Desire (2000), Infernal Affairs III (MIFF 2004, co-dir).