Alfred Ip talks to Film Director Ray Yeung about his life story – growing up in Hong Kong and then furthering his education in the UK, where he studied law, then finding his passion in film making.
Ray talks about “叔叔 Suk Suk” which introduced the novel topic of two elderly gay men falling in love in Hong Kong, representing a minority within a minority. He goes on to talk about his latest film “從今以後 All Shall Be Well” and hearing real-life stories which inspired Ray to script the story about a lesbian couple and the family dynamics that suddenly roll out after one of the women passes away.
Ray talks about the casting and the reasons behind the choice of Maggie Li (Lin Lin), as well as the choice of portraying the characters without using a typical melodramatic way to unfold the story. He wants the audience to empathise and reflect on the family dynamics and the many shades that each character brings to the story. He wants everyone to reflect upon their own selfishness and what they would do in a similar situation, as well as questioning if there’s a more or less hidden level of homophobia.
Ray wants everyone to reflect about real situations where same-sex couples in Hong Kong find themselves with very limited legal recognition and protection of their relationship or marriage. While interviewing some people to build the script, he was rather surprised about the fact that many do not even understand the importance of having a Will to protect their partners or spouses. Alfred touches upon the importance of getting married and the necessity of making sure that a proper Estate Planning is put in place, but also of the crucial topic of elderly care for LGBTQ individuals.
The topic of a lesbian relationship has been very well received by Hong Kong audiences – not only touching their hearts, but also forcing people to reflect about their own or other people’s relationships. In fact, the film was very well received at the Berlinale earlier this year in February, where it won the Teddy Award for Best Feature Film, winning as well one of the audience awards. Audiences around the world have been appreciating a story of love and pain which, despite being deeply rooted in Hong Kong, still carries universal feelings and values. These surely include both same-sex and heterosexual individuals.
“從今以後 All Shall Be Well” was officially released in Hong Kong on 1st May. It will be distributed globally from September 2024 in USA, October 2024 in Switzerland, November 2024 in Taiwan, then onto France and Spain… keeping Ray busy touring and promoting the film. The film will have global reach – hopefully helping to spark a wider debate on similarities and differences between Hong Kong and other countries.
Stay tuned for more news about “從今以後 All Shall Be Well” and Ray Yeung’s upcoming projects!
