HK romance makes US debut at Asian film festival

The Hong Kong romance movie Last Song for You made its North American debut at the 24th New York Asian Film Festival held at Manhattan's Lincoln Center from July 11 to 17.

The festival showcases curated Asian movies not distributed in the United States. The 2025 theme is "Cinema as Disruption" and features bold, genre-defying movies that "challenge, provoke, and reimagine".

"This year's lineup dares to confront, question, and dream — exactly what cinema should do," says Samuel Jamier, the festival's executive director. "We're witnessing a generational shift. Beyond the curation of films, we're redrawing a cultural map that urgently needs expansion. Many festivals treat Asian cinema as if it ends at the South Korean border — we're here to blow that theory up. We mean business. Or chaos. Probably both."

Last Song for You, a romance movie directed by Jill Leung, was released in Hong Kong in December. It was nominated in several categories at the 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best New Director, Best Cinematography, Best Original Film Song and Best Original Film Score. Actor Ian Chen and lead actress Natalie Hsu were also nominated for Best New Performer and Best Actress. The movie was featured at the International Film Festival Rotterdam earlier this year.

The story follows So Sing Wah, a washed-up pop star who receives a visit from a girl claiming to be the daughter of his high school sweetheart, who then asks So to spread her mother's ashes with her in Japan. He reluctantly agrees, not knowing the journey will take him through space and time.

Leung, who comes from a screen-writing background, discovered this project for his directing debut.

"I'm very happy for this opportunity. I've been in the business for over two decades, and I've always aspired to be a director. With my experience as a screenwriter, I feel like I've really learned the craft of telling stories," he says.

The Film Development Fund, a Hong Kong government organization, funded Leung's film.

The movie's biggest stars, Hsu and Ekin Cheng, made their way to New York City for the premiere.

Hsu received the Screen International Rising Star Award at an event in New York on July 13. She says in recent years, it's been rare for the Hong Kong movie industry to produce romance movies, and she enjoyed being part of the film's production crew.

"It's lovely to film something super nostalgic and more coming of age, and really warm. After people watch it, they will be reminded of their teenage years and the people that they met then," Hsu says. "No matter who you are, where you grew up, or what you've gone through, it's something you can relate to and find a piece of yourself in."

Jamier says the New York Asian Film Festival takes a yearlong journey to find movies they believe are valuable and worthy for screening in the US.

"I loved it (Last Song For You) instantly," Jamier tells China Daily. "It was great to see one of the iconic stars of the 1990s reinvent himself. It's interesting to see him in the same frame and same story with a young, rising star who represents something else. I saw hope in that."

"The story stood out. It's a nice love story that feels personal and resonates. It resonates with me. I'm middle-aged now, and there are many things I felt on a personal level," he says.

When speaking of the challenges in Hong Kong's movie industry, Hsu says it's good to experience ups and downs because it challenges directors and actors to consider what audiences truly want.

Leung says, "People might say the Hong Kong film industry is dying or dead, but no. I feel there's still a worthy audience and popular culture in Hong Kong will thrive. It's a matter of reaching out to attract people to come and watch the film. I just want to do my best in what I do."