Suk Suk
Suk Suk (Chinese: 叔.叔) is a 2019 award-winning and critically acclaimed Hong Kong drama film written and directed by Ray Yeung. It presents the story of two secretly homosexual married men in their twilight years. One day Pak, 70, a taxi driver who refuses to retire, meets Hoi, 65, a retired single father, in a park. Despite years of societal and personal pressure, they are proud of the families they have created through hard work and determination. Yet, in that brief initial encounter, something is unleashed in them which had been suppressed for so many years. As both men recount and recall their personal histories, they also contemplate a possible future together. Suk Suk studies the subtle day-to-day moments of two men as they struggle between conventional expectations and personal desires.[2]
Suk Suk | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
Chinese | 叔.叔 |
Directed by | Ray Yeung |
Produced by | Michael J. Werner Teresa Kwong Sandy Yip Chowee Leow Stan Guingon |
Written by | Ray Yeung |
Starring | Tai Bo Ben Yuen Patra Au |
Music by | Veronica Lee |
Cinematography | Leung Ming-kai |
Edited by | William Chang Nose Chan |
Production company | New Voice Film Productions |
Release date | |
Running time | 92 minutes |
Country | Hong Kong |
Language | Cantonese |
The original title "Suk Suk" was changed to "Twilight's Kiss" for USA and Canada by North American distributor Strand Releasing.
The original title "Suk Suk" was changed to "Un Printemps a Hong Kong" for France by French distributor Epicentre Films.[3]
Cast
- Tai Bo as Pak
- Ben Yuen as Hoi
- Patra Au as Ching
- Lo Chun-Yip as Wan
- To Kong as Chiu
- Lam Yiu-Sing as Edmond
- Wong Hiu-Yee as Fong
- Hu Yixin as Zheng
- Kwan Lau-Ting as Joyce
- Chu Wai-Keung as Dior
Release
- Suk Suk had its world premiere at the 24th Busan International Film Festival on 4 October 2019.[4]
- Suk Suk was released in Taiwan by Cai Chang International in February 2020[5]
- Suk Suk was released in Hong Kong by Golden Scene Company Ltd. in May 2020[6]
- Suk Suk was released in Thailand by M Pictures / Never So Small in July 2020 [7]
- The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Brussels (HKETO, Brussels) and Create Hong Kong have jointly supported the participation of three Hong Kong films at the CinemAsia Film Festival 2020 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, being held from March 4 to 8 (Amsterdam time).[8] One of the three Hong Kong films is Suk Suk.
Reception
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a 100% approval rating based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10.[9]
Elizabeth Kerr from The Hollywood Reporter describes Suk Suk as Ray Yeung's "most accomplished, mature film to date, and Yeung demonstrates a keen eye for the social dynamics that impact us and how we respond to them, and finds space to bask in the simple pleasures, basic generosity and the safety net that is family while simultaneously dealing with homophobia, ageism and faith."[10] Wendy Ide from Screen Daily described Suk Suk as "a gentle, understated storytelling with subtly observant camerawork to match".[11] Zhuo-Ning Su from The Film Stage writes, "In lucid, carefully non-judgmental strokes, Yeung recreates the easy familiarity of (hetero-normative) family life that both men have gotten used to."[12] Sight & Sound indicates, "Suk Suk is a loving, considerate tale of queer love in later life. Elaborating an affair between two elderly men in present-day Hong Kong, Ray Yeung proves himself as an astute observer of human affection and social obligation in his third feature film."[13] Alissa Simon from Variety describes, "Strong performances by veterans Tai Bo and Ben Yuen make the protagonists’ struggle concrete and affecting."[14]
Awards and nominations
Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Berlin International Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Ray Yeung | Nominated | [15] |
Golden Horse Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Suk Suk | Nominated | [16] |
Golden Horse Film Festival | Best Original Screenplay | Ray Yeung | Nominated | [16] |
Golden Horse Film Festival | Best Leading Actor | Ben Yuen | Nominated | [17] |
Golden Horse Film Festival | Best Leading Actor | Tai Bo | Nominated | [17] |
Golden Horse Film Festival | Best Supporting Actress | Patra Au | Nominated | [17] |
Hong Kong Directors Guild Awards | Best Actor | Tai Bo | Won | [18] |
Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild Awards | Best Screenplay | Ray Yeung | Won | [19] |
Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild Awards | Best Role in a Screenplay | Tai Bo | Won | [19] |
Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild Awards | Best Role in a Screenplay | Patra Au | Nominated | |
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards | Best Film | Suk Suk | Won | [20] |
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards | Best Actor | Tai Bo | Won | [21] |
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards | Best Screenplay | Ray Yeung | Nominated | [22] |
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards | Best Director | Ray Yeung | Nominated | [23] |
Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards | Best Actor | Ben Yuen | Nominated | [24] |
Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Actor | Tai Bo | Won | [25] |
Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Patra Au | Won | [26] |
Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Picture | Suk Suk | Nominated | [27] |
Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Director | Ray Yeung | Nominated | [27] |
Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Screenplay | Ray Yeung | Nominated | [27] |
Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Lo Chun Yip | Nominated | [27] |
Hong Kong Film Awards | Best New Performer | Patra Au | Nominated | [27] |
Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Film Editing | William Chang & Nose Chui Hing Chan | Nominated | [27] |
Hong Kong Film Awards | Best Costume & Make Up Design | Albert Poon | Nominated | [27] |
Renaissance Awards | Best Drama | Suk Suk | Won | [28] |
Kongest Film Awards | Best Film | Suk Suk | Won | |
Kongest Film Awards | Best Actor | Ben Yuen | Nominated | |
Jury Award / Wicked Queer Boston LGBT Film Festival | Best Narrative Feature | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won | [29] |
Youth Film Handbook / To Ten Chinese Films Festival | Outstanding Film | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won | [30] |
Youth Film Handbook / To Ten Chinese Films Festival | Best Actor | Ben Yuen | Won | [31] |
Jury Award / Out on Film Atlanta's LGBT Film Festival | Best International Film | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won | [32] |
Jury Award / Out on Film Atlanta's LGBT Film Festival | Best Actor | Tai Bo | Won | [33] |
Audience Award / Out on Film Atlanta's LGBT Film Festival | Best International Film | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won | [34] |
Jury Award / Florence Queer Festival | Best Long Feature Film | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won | |
Special Mention / FIFIB Festival International du Film Independent de Bordeaux | Best Feature Film | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won | |
Audience Award / GAZE Film Festival Dublin | Best Feature | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won | |
Jury Award / Seoul International Pride Film Festival | Best Asian Feature | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won | |
Jury Award / Madrid LGBTQ International Film Festival | Best Actor | Tai Bo | Won | |
Jury Award / Madrid LGBTQ International Film Festival | Best Actor | Ben Yuen | Won | |
Special Mention / Amiens International Film Festival | Best Actor | Tai Bo | Won | |
Special Mention / Amiens International Film Festival | Best Actor | Ben Yuen | Won | |
Asian Film Awards | Best Actor | Tai Bo | Nominated | |
Asian Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Ben Yuen | Nominated | |
Asian Film Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Patra Au | Nominated | |
Audience Choice Award / Asian American International Film Festival | Best Narrative Fim | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won | |
Honorable Mention / Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival | Best Feature | Suk Suk (Twilight's Kiss) | Won |
Soundtrack
Name | Performed by | Original Singer | Written by | Composed by |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gentle breeze and drizzle | Qing Shan | Liu lanxi | Lin gongxin | Lin gongxin |
References
- "Suk Suk". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- "News". New Voice Film Productions. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- ":::::Epicentre Films:::::". www.epicentrefilms.com. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
- "Busan International Film Festival". Busan International Film Festival. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- News, Taiwan. "'Suk Suk' set for February release in Taiwan". Taiwan News. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- "Golden Scene". www.goldenscene.com. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- "หนังผมไม่เล็กนะครับ". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
- "HKETO, Brussels promotes Hong Kong films at CinemAsia Film Festival in the Netherlands (with photos)". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- "Twilight Kiss (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
- "'Suk Suk': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- Ide, Wendy. "'Suk Suk'". Screen. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- "'Suk Suk' Beautifully Captures a Late-Blossoming Queer Romance". The Film Stage. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2019.
- "Nine discoveries from the 2020 Berlinale | Sight & Sound". British Film Institute. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- Simon, Alissa (6 March 2020). "'Suk Suk': Film Review". Variety. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- "TEDDY AWARD 2020 Programme Magazine". Issuu. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "【金馬獎2019】袁富華升呢挑戰影帝 僅兩部港產片入圍". 香港01 (in Chinese). 1 October 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
- "台北金馬影展 Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival". www.goldenhorse.org.tw (in Chinese). Retrieved 6 November 2019.
- "Tai Bo wins Best Actor award from the HK Film Directors' Guild". sg.style.yahoo.com. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Ray Yeung honoured with two awards by HK Screenwriters Guild". sg.style.yahoo.com. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Gay drama Suk Suk named 2019's best Hong Kong film by critics". South China Morning Post. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Gay drama Suk Suk named 2019's best Hong Kong film by critics". South China Morning Post. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards (2020)". IMDb. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards (2020)". IMDb. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards (2020)". IMDb. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Better Days sweeps 2020 Hong Kong Film Awards with eight wins". South China Morning Post. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Better Days sweeps 2020 Hong Kong Film Awards with eight wins". South China Morning Post. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Better Days, Fagara lead Hong Kong Film Awards nominations". South China Morning Post. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Renaissance Foundation - Awards 2020". rfhk.org.hk. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Wicked Queer: The Boston LGBT Film Festival". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
- "To Ten Chinese Films Festival (2020)". IMDb. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- "To Ten Chinese Films Festival (2020)". IMDb. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- "Out On Film Announces 2020 Jury and Audience Awards". Georgia Voice - Gay & LGBT Atlanta News. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- "Out On Film Announces 2020 Jury and Audience Awards". Georgia Voice - Gay & LGBT Atlanta News. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- "Out On Film Announces 2020 Jury and Audience Awards". Georgia Voice - Gay & LGBT Atlanta News. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
External links
- Suk Suk on IMDb
- Production website: New Voice Film Productions