Hong Kong - Hong Kong celebrity Andy Lau brought to life the essence of the Cartier Tank MC timepiece in a short film as he delivered a message of daring, excellence and passion - values held dear to the veteran star himself.

Centering on leading man Lau, the 91-second film begins as he prepares to go to a performance. On his way there, he sees things which sends him into flashbacks of his memories.

Director Baillie Walsh said the concept of the flashbacks appealed to him very much.

"(In the film) We are talking about time, about being late, about going back in time as well... talking about memories," he said. "Whether it's a scent that takes us back to a memory, or back in time.. I love working with that."

In a behind the scenes making of the short film, the 52-year-old Lau said that no one knows how much time they possess, so the meaning of time is not about its length.

Lau said, "If you don't chase after time relentlessly and wholeheartedly, then time would lose its meaning."

Hong Kong director and producer Johnnie To who made a guest appearance in the film contributed his thoughts on the concept of time when interviewed.

Seeing life like a football game, To said, it is like playing in the field until the last minute. One can be disheartened or "have a leap of faith", and try to make the last moments count and do something worthwhile.

The film was shot in the shopping and clubbing district of Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui. It was produced to celebrate the launch of the Cartier Tank MC, the latest addition to the French high-end label's watch collection for men. It was unveiled on Sep 25 at Hong Kong's inaugural Watches & Wonders exhibition.

Photos: Cartier, video screengrabs

Click here to view the gallery.

Click here to watch the video.