Faustus is a scholar at the University of Wittenberg when he earns his doctorate degree. His insatiable appetite for knowledge and power leads him to employ necromancy to conjure Mephistopheles out of hell. He bargains away his soul to Lucifer in exchange for living 24 years during which Mephistopheles will be his slave. Faustus signs the pact in his own blood and Mephistopheles reveals the works of the devil to Faustus.

One of Ann Hui's most admired works for the small screen, The Bridge examines a complex web of bureaucracy, vested interests, disillusionment and grass-roots campaigning. The title refers to a footbridge closed for demolition by the government, effectively cutting the main route to and from a roadside shantytown and triggering further local issues.