A film about the challenges of being an older gay man in Hong Kong has left an impression on critics at this year's Berlin Film Festival.
Written and directed by Ray Yeung, Suk Suk tells the story of two closeted men in their twilight years: Pak, a 70-year-old taxi driver, and Hoi, a 65-year-old single father. While they each carry a certain pride for the lives and families they've built, their lives shift dramatically after a chance encounter, with the two men sharing the stories of their lives and slowly developing feelings for each other.
Earning runner-up for the Berlinale's Teddy Award, the film is being celebrated by critics as a "tender" portrait of older men struggling to reconcile their personal desires with the traditional expectations projected onto them as family men in Hong Kong.
While Suk Suk has only had a limited release in Hong Kong, it was recently voted best film by the Hong Kong Film Critics Society, with lead actor Tai Po winning the award for Best Actor.
The film, Yeung's third feature length, was described by The Hollywood Reporter as the writer and director's "most accomplished, mature film to date".
"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," wrote THR's Elizabeth Kerr.
Meanwhile, Screen Daily's Wendy Ide described the film as "a gentle, understated storytelling with subtly observant camerawork to match".
Social media users in attendance at Berlin Film Festival were similarly moved by the story.
"Ray Yeung's Suk Suk. A tender telling of a story never told on screen," one Twitter user wrote.
"Based on oral histories of older gay men in Hong Kong and a real treat for the senses. Loved it."
You can watch the trailer for Suk Suk below:
