The Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) has selected Anthony Chen’s We Are All Strangers and Philip Yung’s Cyclone as headliners, respectively opening and closing the festival’s landmark 50th edition.
On April 1, HKIFF50 will open with Chen’s We Are All Strangers, a moving exploration of familial bonds beyond blood ties. Starring Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler, the film follows a 21-year-old young man and his father as changing relationships lead them to confront love, loss, and responsibility. We Are All Strangers is the concluding chapter of the writer-director’s Growing Up Trilogy, which began in 2013 with the award-winning Ilo Ilo, followed by Wet Season (2019). The third act of Chen’s trilogy has already marked a monumental moment for Singaporean cinema, becoming the country’s first film to compete at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Yung’s Cyclone will signal the festival’s end, closing the festival with its Asian premiere on April 12. Starring Liu Yuqiao, Edwynn Li, and Jenny Suen, the film offers an examination of transgender identity and social marginalization through its protagonist’s journey from Mainland China to Hong Kong in search of gender-affirming surgery.
In a celebration of its enduring cultural legacy, HKIFF’s 2026 event will follow the theme of “50 and Beyond: Framing the Future,” marking five decades of cinematic and cultural exchanges since the festival’s inception in 1977 and aiming a spotlight on the future of Asian and global cinema.
We Are All Strangers, and Cyclone are just two of the 215 officially selected films to be presented at the festival, which will screen films from 71 countries and regions, including 11 world premieres, four international premieres, and 49 Asian premieres.
In addition to film screenings, the festival’s 50th celebration will include the presentation of the “50 and Beyond: The Hong Kong International Film Festival Golden Jubilee Exhibition” at Hong Kong City Hall, an exhibition showcasing rare archival materials, photographs, and filmmakers’ reminiscences highlighting HKIFF’s cultural contributions. The celebration also includes a collaboration with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra with three performances of “In the Mood for Love – In Concert,” bringing live orchestral accompaniment to Wong Kar Wai’s timeless classic.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.