Suk Suk (; lit. 'uncle'), also known as Twilight's Kiss, is a 2019 Hong Kong drama film written and directed by Ray Yeung. It presents the story of two closeted gay men in their twilight years who contemplate a possible future together after unexpectedly falling in love. The film was selected to compete in the Panorama section at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival.
Synopsis The film presents the story of two closeted married men in their twilight years. One day Pak (Tai Bo), a taxi driver who refuses to retire, meets Hoi (Ben Yuen), 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.
Cast Tai Bo as Pak Ben Yuen as Hoi Patra Au Ga Man as Ching Lo Chun Yip as Wan Kong To as Chiu Lam Yiu-sing as Edmond Wong Hiu Yee as Fong Hu Yixin as Zheng Lau Ting Kwan as Joyce Shmily as Dior
Release
Suk Suk had its world premiere at the 24th Busan International Film Festival on 4 October 2019. Suk Suk was released in Taiwan by Cai Chang International in February 2020 Suk Suk was released in Hong Kong by Golden Scene Company Ltd. in May 2020 Suk Suk was released in Thailand by M Pictures / Never So Small in July 2020 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). One of the three Hong Kong films is Suk Suk. Suk Suk was released in North America by Strand Releasing in February 2021. Suk Suk was released in France by Epicentre Filmes in June 2021. Suk Suk was released in Spain by Vitrine Filmes in July 2021 Suk Suk was released in Brazil by Vitrine Filmes in September 2021 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 à Hong Kong" for France by French distributor Epicentre Films.
The original title "Suk Suk" was changed to "Suk Suk - Um Amor em Segredo" for Brazil by Brazilian distributor Vitrine Filmes
The film was showcased in 'LGBTQ+ Visions & Horizon: Queer Unbound at NYAFF' at the 23rd New York Asian Film Festival on July 14, 2024.
Reception Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gives the film approval rating based on reviews, with an average rating of . According to Metacritic, which sampled six critics and calculated a weighted average score of 71 out of 100, the film received "generally favorable reviews".
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." Wendy Ide from Screen Daily described Suk Suk as "a gentle, understated storytelling with subtly observant camerawork to match". 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." 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." Alissa Simon from Variety describes, "Strong performances by veterans Tai Bo and Ben Yuen make the protagonists’ struggle concrete and affecting."
Accolades +AwardCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.70th Berlin International Film Festival Best Feature FilmRay Yeung56th Golden Horse AwardsBest Narrative FeatureSuk Suk Best Original ScreenplayRay Yeung Best Leading ActorBen Yuen Tai Bo Best Supporting ActressPatra Au Hong Kong Directors Guild AwardsBest ActorTai Bo Hong Kong Screenwriters’ Guild AwardsBest Screenplay Ray Yeung Best Role in a Screenplay Tai Bo Best Role in a Screenplay Patra Au Hong Kong Film Critics Society AwardsBest Film Suk Suk Best Actor Tai Bo Best Screenplay Ray Yeung Best Director Best ActorBen Yuen 39th Hong Kong Film AwardsBest ActorTai Bo Best Supporting ActressPatra Au Best Film Suk Suk Best Director Ray Yeung Best Screenplay Best Supporting ActorLo Chun Yip Best New PerformerPatra Au Best EditingWilliam Chang & Nose Chui Hing Chan Best Costume Make Up DesignAlbert Poon Renaissance AwardsBest Drama Suk Suk Kongest Film AwardsBest Film Best ActorBen Yuen Wicked Queer Boston LGBT Film Festival Jury Award: Best Narrative Feature Twilight's Kiss To Ten Chinese Films Festival Youth Film Handbook: Outstanding Film Youth Film Handbook: Best Actor Ben Yuen Out on Film: Atlanta's LGBT Film Festival Jury Award: Best International Film Twilight's Kiss Jury Award: Best ActorTai Bo Audience Award: Best International Film Twilight's Kiss Florence Queer Festival Best Long Feature Film Special Mention: Best Feature Film GAZE Film Festival Dublin Audience Award: Best Feature Seoul International Pride Film Festival Best Asian Feature Madrid LGBTQ International Film FestivalBest Actor Tai Bo Best ActorBen Yuen Amiens International Film Festival Special Mention: Best Actor Tai Bo Special Mention: Best Actor Ben Yeun Asian Film Awards Best Actor Tai Bo Best Supporting Actor Ben Yuen Best Supporting Actress Patra Au Asian American International Film Festival Audience Choice Award: Best Narrative Film Twilight's Kiss Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival Honorable Mention: Best Feature Zinegoak Festival, Bilbao Spain Special Mention: Best Feature Film Suk Suk La Mostra Internacional de Cinema de Gai i Lesbià FIRE!!Audience Award: Best Feature LGBT Film Fest of the Niemeyer Center, Spain Jury Award: Best Feature Film Santo Domingo OutFest - Festival Internacional de Cine GLBTJury Award: Best Film Santo Domingo OutFest - Festival Internacional de Cine GLBTJury Award: Best Screenplay Santo Domingo OutFest - Festival Internacional de Cine GLBTJury Award: Best Performance Tai Bo Queerties Awards 2022Best Indie Movie Twilight's Kiss GLAAD Media Awards 2022 Outstanding Feature - Limited Release
Soundtrack +NamePerformed byOriginal SingerWritten byComposed byGentle breeze and drizzleQing ShanLiu lanxiLin gongxinLin gongxin
References
External links
Production website: New Voice Film Productions