A Light Never Goes Out Explained

A Light Never Goes Out
Native Name:
Child:yes
Hide:no
Header:none
T:燈火闌珊
S:灯火阑珊
P:Dēng huǒ lán shān
J:dang1 fo2 laan4 saan1
L:"Waning lights"
Director:Anastasia Tsang
Producer:Saville Chan
Starring:Sylvia Chang
Simon Yam
Cecilia Choi
Henick Chou
Cinematography:Leung Ming Kai
Music:Alan Wong
Janet Yung
Studio:A Light Never Goes Out Ltd.
Runtime:103 minutes
Country:Hong Kong
Language:Cantonese

A Light Never Goes Out (Chinese: |p=Dēnghuǒ lánshān|l=Dim Lights|t=燈火闌珊) is a 2022 Hong Kong drama film produced by Saville Chan and directed by Anastasia Tsang in her directorial debut. The film had its world premiere at the 2022 Tokyo International Film Festival.[1] The film was the winner of 5th First Feature Film Initiative and received funding from the Film Development Fund. It was also selected to represent Hong Kong in the Best International Feature Film category at the 96th Academy Awards, but was later revealed to have been disqualified for currently undisclosed reasons.[2] [3]

Plot

Middle-aged widow Mei-heung has faced countless sleepless nights since her husband Bill's passing. Upon discovering a key among Bill’s possessions, she is led to his secret neon workshop and meets young apprentice Leo. Together, they embark on a journey to complete Bill's last project, as Mei-heung learns the delicate craft of neon light blowing. Her efforts to recreate a demolished neon sign with her own hands become a poignant homage to their shared past. As Mei-heung reflects on her life with Bill, she uncovers hidden fragments of his history, providing her with a bittersweet solace. Concurrently, her daughter Prism grapples with her own secret plans to leave Hong Kong, struggling to reveal them to her mother. As the mystery of the legendary neon sign unravels, Mei-heung is confronted with truths she had long avoided.[4]

Cast

Production

A Light Never Goes Out is the feature debut of Anastasia Tsang, who graduated from Sorbonne University's film department. The film is produced by The Way We Dances Saville Chan and reunites Sylvia Chang with Simon Yam, with whom she previously worked in the 1982 horror comedy He Lives by Night.[5] [6]

Controversy

A Light Never Goes Out was submitted for consideration in the Best International Feature Film category at the 2024 Oscars.[7]  However, the film was later disqualified due to a conflict of interest in the voting process.[8] One of the film's stars, veteran actor Simon Yam, was also a member of the Federation of Motion Film Producers of Hong Kong selection committee that decides which film to submit for the Oscars each year.[9] This violated the Academy's rules stating that selection committee members cannot have a professional relationship with a film under consideration.[10] As a result, the movie was pulled from contention, and Hong Kong ultimately decided not to submit any other film in its place given the large margin by which A Light Never Goes Out had originally won the nomination.[11]

Critical Reception

Phuong Le of The Guardian describes A Light Never Goes Out as a "heartfelt love letter"[12] to the diminishing world of Hong Kong’s neon sign artisans. Despite relying on a conventional plot with familiar archetypes, performances by Sylvia Chang and Cecilia Choi elevate the narrative, suggesting profound familial bonds beneath surface-level clichés. The film, Le remarks, embodies a significant cultural undertaking, with the characters’ endeavors to maintain Hong Kong’s cultural identity set against a backdrop of socio-political change. However, Le points out a missed opportunity for the film to incorporate the rich history of its neon sign-making legacy more fully into the story.[12]

In Edmund Lee’s review for the South China Morning Post, Sylvia Chang’s performance is praised as "genuinely riveting."[13] The film is further commended for its poignant portrayal of Hong Kong’s rapidly disappearing neon sign tradition. However, Lee notes that the film's human drama feels laboured next to the evocative tribute to the city's once-prevalent neon landscape.[13]

Release

The film was showcased for its U.S. premiere at the 22nd New York Asian Film Festival in 'Hong Kong Panorama' section on 25 July 2023.[14] [15]

Awards and nominations

AwardsCategoryRecipientResultRef.
Best Leading Actress[16]
Best Visual EffectsDennis Yeung
FIPRESCI PrizeA Light Never Goes Out
41st Hong Kong Film AwardsBest ActressSylvia Chang[17]
Best New PerformerHenick Chou

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 【A Light Never Goes Out】| 35th Tokyo International Film Festival(2022) . 2022.tiff-jp.net . 1 October 2022.
  2. Web site: 2023-10-30 . 89 Films Enter International Race at 96th Academy Awards . Steve . Pond . 2023-10-31 . The Wrap . en .
  3. Web site: Hong Kong’s Oscars Submission ‘A Light Never Goes Out’ Disqualified; Reason Remains Unclear. Deadline Hollywood. Liz. Shackleton. 11 December 2023. 11 December 2023.
  4. Web site: A Light Never Goes Out Film Times and Info SHOWCASE . 2024-03-22 . www.showcasecinemas.co.uk.
  5. Web site: Wong . Silvia . Noh . Jean . 14 Asian films to tempt festival directors in 2022 . Screen . 1 October 2022 . en.
  6. Web site: 《燈火闌珊》紀錄褪色香港 張艾嘉不計酬勞參演︰還有好角色可演 . 香港01 . 1 October 2022 . zh-HK . 4 February 2021.
  7. Web site: 2023-09-27 . "A Light Never Goes Out" is HK's choice for the Oscars . 2024-03-22 . Yahoo News . en-SG.
  8. Web site: 2023-12-12 . Hong Kong film A Light Never Goes Out disqualified as Academy Awards entry . 2024-03-22 . South China Morning Post . en.
  9. Web site: 2023-12-14 . Simon Yam says sorry for "A Light Never Goes Out" disqualification . 2024-03-22 . sg.style.yahoo.com . en-SG.
  10. Web site: 2014-09-30 . REGULATIONS CONCERNING THE PROMOTION OF FILMS ELIGIBLE FOR THE 87th ACADEMY AWARDS® Oscars.org Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . 2024-03-22 . www.oscars.org . en.
  11. Web site: 2023-12-12 . Hong Kong film A Light Never Goes Out disqualified as Academy Awards entry . 2024-03-22 . South China Morning Post . en.
  12. News: Le . Phuong . 2023-05-09 . A Light Never Goes Out review – Hong Kong’s neon signs light up nostalgic drama . 2024-03-22 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
  13. Web site: 2023-04-11 . A Light Never Goes Out: Hong Kong’s last neon signs in the spotlight . 2024-03-22 . South China Morning Post . en.
  14. Web site: A Light Never Goes Out: 22nd New York Asian Film Festival. NYAFF . July 9, 2023.
  15. Web site: New York Asian Film Festival 2023. Film at Lincoln Center . 9 July 2023.
  16. Web site: Hong Kong film 'Limbo' leads Golden Horse Award nominations . Focus Taiwan . Wang . Hsin-yu . Lee . Hsin-Yin . en . 27 September 2022 . 3 November 2022.
  17. Web site: Nomination List of The 41st Hong Kong Film Awards . Hong Kong Film Awards . 18 April 2023.