Beyond the Sunset

Dir: Jacob Cheung
Scrs: Chan Kam-cheong, Jacob Cheung
Prod Co: Dream Factory
Cast: Fung Bo-bo, Cecilia Yip, Richard Ng, Lowell Lo, Law Chi-wai
1989 | Colour | DCP | Cantonese | Chi & Eng Subtitles | 116min

Jacob Cheung made a big splash with his directorial debut Lai Shi, China’s Last Eunuch (1988), prompting Cheung Yam-yim at Sil-Metropole to invite the young director to make his second feature and giving him absolute creative freedom. Cheung therefore decided to base his next film on his own experiences with his mother, using it as an opportunity to examine contemporary Hong Kong society. The result was a touching film weaving together a fraught mother-daughter relationship and a twilight romance.

Mui (Fung Bo-bo) tried her best in raising her only daughter Jo (Cecilia Yip). While studying in the US, Jo suddenly marries and stays there. Years later, she returns to Hong Kong with her son Derek (Law Chi-wai) to visit her mother. Tensions quickly resurface between mother and daughter, but the grandma-grandson relationship begins to flourish.  Jo tries to arrange for Coach Wong (Richard Ng) and Mui to become companions, hoping this will allow her to return to the US without having to worry too much about her mother. Mui, however, remains hesitant about embarking on a new relationship at her age.

In Beyond the Sunset, Cheung brings together a host of different issues ranging from Hong Kong’s aging society, migration, and cultural differences between the East and the West. Despite their stormy relationship, the mother and daughter in the film deeply cherish one another, as suggested by various metaphors and subtly rendered scenes that reflect the sensibilities and sensitivities of traditional Chinese culture—as well as Cheung’s signature humanism. At 36 years of age, Fung Bo-bo convincingly portrayed a character in her 60s, bringing her character to life with great skill. Her performance is supported by Richard Ng’s excellent turn as the earnest and courteous Coach Wong, a far cry from the broad comedy roles for which he is known. Beyond the Sunset won Best Film, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress (Cecilia Yip) at the 9th Hong Kong Film Awards.

Courtesy of Sil-Metropole Organisation Limited

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