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Papa (2024 film)

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Papa
Teaser poster
Directed byPhilip Yung
Written byPhilip Yung
Produced byAmy Chin
StarringSean Lau
Jo Koo
Dylan So
CinematographyChin Ting Chang
Edited byJojo Shek
Music byDing Ke
Production
company
The Book of a Play
Distributed byGolden Scene
Release date
Running time
131 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese

Papa (Chinese: 爸爸) is a 2024 Hong Kong family drama[1] film directed and written by Philip Yung. Starring Sean Lau, Jo Koo, and Dylan So, the film is based on a real-life 2010 murder case and centers on the life of a father (Lau) after the rest of his family is murdered by his mentally unstable son (So).

The film had its world premiere in competition at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival on 31 October 2024.

Premise

[edit]

The story follows a café owner who experiences a family tragedy when his mentally unstable son murders his mother and sister, while the son is subsequently incarcerated in a psychiatric facility, leaving the father to navigate his life with the weight of survivor guilt.[2][3]

Cast

[edit]
  • Sean Lau as Yuen, a father whose wife and sister were murdered by his son[4]
  • Jo Koo as Yin, Wing-nin's wife[4]
  • Dylan So as Ming, Wing-nin's son[4]
  • Lainey Hung as Grace, Wing-nin's daughter[4]

Also starring in the film are Jennifer Yu, Yeung Wai Lun, Helen Tam, Chan Lai-wun [zh], and Law Wing-cheung.[5][6] Edan Lui has a cameo appearance.[7]

Production

[edit]

After producing the legal drama film The Sparring Partner (2022), Philip Yung found himself in debt and had to make a low-budget Chinese romance film, Penny Pinchers (2024), to repay it while on holiday in 2022.[8] He returned to Hong Kong to helm the project Papa right afterwards,[9] a film he described as a real "Hong Kong film", in contrast to his previous project, which he characterized as a "very mainland Chinese film".[8] In June 2022, Papa was greenlit by the Hong Kong Film Development Council with a budget of HKD$7,246,400 through the Film Production Financing Scheme, with Amy Chin [zh] producing and Sean Lau and Jo Koo attaching as the lead cast.[10] Yung teased the production of the project in February 2023,[9][11] describing it as a "small-scale art-house film" and expressing uncertainty about whether it could be released in China.[8][9] The story is based on the 2010 Heung Wo Street Murder [zh], where Kan Ka-leung, who murdered his mother and sister, was convicted in 2012.[12]

Principal photography began in March 2023,[11] with Sean Lau reportedly filming on 17 March 2023 and Jennifer Yu also announced as part of the cast.[5][13] The shoot continued through April.[14] Sean Lau took a hiatus to attend the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards on 16 April before returning to shoot the following day.[15] Filming wrapped up within the first half of the year, and the first cut was completed by September.[16] The film was presented by Screen International alongside 14 Asian films to festival directors in January 2024,[2] and a teaser poster was released on 25 September along with the announcement of its premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival.[17]

Release

[edit]

Papa had its world premiere in competition at the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival,[18][19] on 31 October 2024,[20] and is set to be screened as the closing film of the 21st Hong Kong Asian Film Festival on 10 November 2024.[21][22]

Reception

[edit]

Richard Kuipers of Variety praised Papa for being "played in a low key that produces high emotional impact", emphasizing its "great depth and complexity", while highlighting Sean Lau's "terrific performance" and Philip Yung's skillful direction in crafting an emotionally resonant narrative.[4] Jordan Mintzer of The Hollywood Reporter described the film as "well-crafted and intriguing", exploring the aftermath of a horrific crime through themes of guilt and regret while ultimately providing a compelling perspective on the possibility of redemption for a shattered family, despite moments of dramatic frustration.[23]

References

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  1. ^ Wong, Silva (11 March 2024). "New filmmaker voices are rising in Hong Kong, but challenges remain". Screen Daily. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b Wong, Silvia; Noh, Jean; Rosser, Michael (19 January 2024). "14 Asian films to tempt festival directors in 2024". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 21 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  3. ^ "劉青雲挑戰沉重角色 新片劇本靈感來自「荃灣享和街弒母殺妹案」". East Week (in Chinese). 27 September 2024. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e Kuipers, Richard (2 November 2024). "'Papa' Review: A Moving Study in Grief and Redemption Based on a Shocking Hong Kong Crime Case". Variety. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b "電影導演會頒獎禮｜劉青雲膺最佳男主角 爆老婆郭藹明已冇戲癮". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 17 March 2023. Archived from the original on 24 September 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  6. ^ "港產片殺入東京國際電影節 實力派演員演活社會小人物". Entertainment on Line (in Chinese). 26 September 2024. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  7. ^ 鄺鈺瑩 (4 November 2024). "叱咤｜Edan客串劉青雲新戲《爸爸》　姜濤隨手寫惹無工開疑雲". HK01 (in Chinese). Retrieved 5 November 2024.
  8. ^ a b c "風再起時｜翁子光無愧於心 千字文呼籲入場支持香港電影". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 17 February 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  9. ^ a b c 紅眼 (25 February 2023). "《風再起時》翁子光專訪：在這個年代，態度與深度，哪個更重要？". Initium Media (in Chinese). Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  10. ^ "香港電影發展局 資助計劃" (in Chinese). Hong Kong Film Development Council. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  11. ^ a b 蔣雨楠 (11 February 2023). "【專訪】《風再起時》導演翁子光：我把小時候夢想的東西給了你". Jiemian News (in Chinese). Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  12. ^ 許育民 (25 September 2024). "劉青雲《爸爸》改編荃灣享和街弒母殺妹案 代香港出戰東京電影節". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  13. ^ "劉青雲奪「最佳男主角」大獎 張繼聰寫情歌冧謝安琪". Oriental Daily News (in Chinese). 16 March 2023. Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  14. ^ 陳釗 (29 April 2023). "楊受成呻《神探大戰》內地審批困難重重 劉青雲奪金像影帝 老婆無獎勵". Ming Pao (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 30 April 2023. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  15. ^ 莫匡堯 (17 April 2023). "金像獎2023｜鄭秀文台上漏多謝許志安 青雲笑言拍「右眼見到鬼」". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  16. ^ Heskins, Andrew (26 September 2023). "Philip Yung interview: "Wong Jing said, 'It seems too arty!'"". EasternKicks.com. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  17. ^ "劉青雲主演翁子光新作《爸爸》 時隔6年再有港片入圍角逐「櫻花大獎」 劇本改編自「荃灣享和街弒母殺妹案」". Sing Tao Daily (in Chinese). 25 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  18. ^ Shackleton, Liz (25 September 2024). "Tokyo Film Festival Unveils Competition Line-up; 'My Favourite Cake' To Screen In Women's Empowerment Section". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  19. ^ Brzeski, Patrick (25 September 2024). "Tokyo International Film Festival Unveils Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 26 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  20. ^ "Papa". Tokyo International Film Festival. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  21. ^ Cheung, Catharina (9 October 2024). "21st Hong Kong Asian Film Festival 2024". Time Out. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  22. ^ "第21屆香港亞洲電影節丨日本紅星池松壯亮來港 首設「香港製造」單元力撐港產片". Sing Tao Daily. 27 September 2024. Archived from the original on 28 September 2024. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  23. ^ Mintzer, Jordan (31 October 2024). "'Papa' Review: An Unspeakable Crime Tears a Family Apart in an Impressionistic Hong Kong Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
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