«Hongkong in den 1980er-Jahren: Für zahllose chinesische Einwanderer verkörpert die Metropole den Traum vom besseren Leben. Auch für den schüchternen Xiao-jun und die ehrgeizige, burschikose Qiao. Trotz ihrer Verschiedenheit empfinden die beiden bald tiefe Freundschaft füreinander. Doch als aus der Freundschaft mehr zu werden droht, trennen sich ihre Wege zunächst einmal für Jahre. Mit einer faszinierend fein komponierten Bildsprache erzählt das gefühlvolle Drama von Liebe und der Angst, sich zu verlieren, von Einwanderung und dem Verlust kultureller Identität, vom ungleichen Kampf zwischen Materialismus und Menschlichkeit. Der in Hongkong geborene Regisseur Chan, der in Thailand aufwuchs und in Los Angeles studierte, verbindet gekonnt westliches und fernöstliches Denken.» (Xenix, Jan. 2005)

«This is not so much a story about people falling in love, but rather of two young hearts trying their best not to fall in love with each other. Out of the many mainland immigrants arrived in Hong Kong in 1986, two were to come across each other, but only to find their love affairs stand in their way to fulfill their dreams in this capitalistic haven. Their paths were crossed, as fate has it, and they drifted apart, in Hong Kong, in New York.» (Int. Filmfestival Venedig, 2013)

Director’s Statement
«It started as a small-scale film about small town folks who move to the big city. It was only during the making of the film that I realized it was actually illustrating the rootlessness of the Chinese people and their search for an identity. At the same time, the film reflects on the lives of Hong Kongers that belong to my generation, who are trying to cope with the 1997 handover. Hong Kong is filled with descendants of Mainland immigrants like myself. We share the same identity crisis caused by our being caught in a particular pocket of history. I was born in Hong Kong but moved to Thailand with my family when I was eleven. In spite of this, I never feel that I am Thai. I’ve always considered myself a Hong Konger, but that doesn’t mean I am Chinese. My ethnicity is Chinese but my nationality isn’t. When I eventually returned to Hong Kong, I felt at home.» (excerpts from Hong Kong Panorama 1996-1997)

Drehbuch: Ivy Ho
Kamera: Jingle Ma Choh-shing
Musik: Chiu Tsang-hei
Schnitt: Chan Kei-hop, Eric Kwong Chi-leung

Mit: Leon Lai Ming (Xiao-jun), Maggie Cheung Man-yuk (Qiao), Kristy Yeung Kung-yu (Fong Siu-ting), Christopher Doyle (Jeremy), Eric Tsang Chi-wai (Au Yeung-pao), Joe Cheung Tung-cho (Yan), Irene Tsu Wai-ho (Rosie Li)

118 Min., Farbe, 35 mm, OV/d