Still Human
| Still Human | |
|---|---|
 Official film poster | |
| Traditional Chinese | 淪落人 |
| Simplified Chinese | 沦落人 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Lúnluòrén |
| Jyutping | leon4 lok6 jan4 |
| Directed by | Oliver Chan |
| Written by | Oliver Chan |
| Produced by | Fruit Chan |
| Starring | Anthony Wong |
| Cinematography | Derek Siu |
| Edited by | Oliver Chan |
| Music by | Austin Chau |
Production company | No Ceiling Film |
| Distributed by | Golden Scene Company |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 111 minutes |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Box office | HK$19,811,169[1] |
Still Human (Chinese: 淪落人) is a 2018 Hong Kong comedy-drama film directed and written by Oliver Chan in her feature film directorial debut. It stars veteran actor Anthony Wong and Crisel Consunji in her film debut. The film chronicles the relationship between a man using a wheelchair and his Filipina domestic helper. The film had its world premiere at the 15th Hong Kong Asian Film Festival on 6 November 2018[2] before it was theatrically released on 11 April 2019.[3]
The film received positive critical reception upon release. It was the best selling film in Hong Kong at the week of its release, making over US$940,000 in a weekend. At the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards, it took home three awards, including Wong's third Best Actor win after 20 years.[4]
Plot
[edit]A paralyzed and hopeless Hong Kong man, Leung Cheong-wing, meets his new Filipina domestic worker Evelyn Santos, a former nurse who has put her dream of being a photographer on hold and come to the city to earn a living.[5] The two strangers live under the same roof through different seasons, and as they learn more about each other, they also learn more about themselves. Together, they learn how to face the different seasons of life.
Cast
[edit]- Anthony Wong as Leung Cheong-wing (梁昌榮)
- Crisel Consunji as Evelyn Santos
- Sam Lee as Fai Cheung (張輝)
- Cecilia Yip as Leung Jing-ying (梁晶瑩)
Production
[edit]The Government of Hong Kong runs the First Feature Film Initiative, which funds winners' first feature film. Oliver Chan won the prize in the Higher Education Institution Group in 2017 with Still Human, and was awarded $3.25 million HKD.[6] The film was produced by No Ceiling Film.[5]
Chan sent Anthony Wong an email pitching the film with low expectations, but Wong agreed to take the part with no pay. Consunji auditioned for her role after reading about it in a Facebook ad.[7][8]
Social impact
[edit]There are over 370,000 foreign domestic helpers, otherwise known as migrant workers, in Hong Kong as of 2017. They mainly come from Indonesia and the Philippines. Their condition has been scrutinised by human rights groups as cases of abuse have been reported, in addition to poor living conditions, ill-treatment from employers, and everyday discrimination. This film is the first in Hong Kong to have a migrant worker as a leading character, and has sparked discussions about their lives in the city.[citation needed]
Accepting Best New Performer at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards, Crisel Consunji said "in Hong Kong, when we celebrate our diversity, we move forward together", and thanked "all the women who bravely shared with [her] their stories", calling them "modern heroes". She delivered parts of her speech in Cantonese, English and Tagalog.[9]
Awards
[edit]| Award ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13th Asian Film Awards[10] | Best New Director | Oliver Chan | Won |
| 25th Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award | Best Film | Still Human | Nominated |
| Best Director | Oliver Chan | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Oliver Chan | Won | |
| Best Actor | Anthony Wong | Won | |
| Best Actress | Crisel Consunji | Nominated | |
| Films of Merit | Still Human | Won | |
| 38th Hong Kong Film Awards[4] | Best Film | Still Human | Nominated |
| Best Director | Oliver Chan | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Oliver Chan | Nominated | |
| Best New Director | Oliver Chan | Won | |
| Best Actor | Anthony Wong | Won | |
| Best Actress | Crisel Consunji | Nominated | |
| Best New Performer | Won | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Sam Lee | Nominated | |
| 21st Far East Film Festival[11] | Audience Award (first place) | Still Human | Won |
| Black Dragon Award | Still Human | Won |
Reception
[edit]Critical reception
[edit]For The Philippine Reporter, Ysh Cabana wrote "Still Human is an earnest reminder of the healing power of empathy, which is what connects humans to other persons. But at a deeper sense of meaning, it is a uncompromising look at the conditions of the people in the margins of a modern city, estranged from themselves as a consequence of living in class society."[12] Edmund Lee of the South China Morning Post rated the film 3.5 of 5 stars. Lee praised Oliver Chan and stated that Still Human "is one of those rare gems of a film which takes a distinctly Hong Kong scenario and turns it into a gently comical drama with universal appeal."[13]
Fionnuala Halligan of Screen Daily wrote that Oliver Chan "clearly works well with actors" and praised Consunji's performance.[14]
Justin Lowe of The Hollywood Reporter praised Chan as a writer who "excels at portraying the often precarious lives of overseas Filipino workers with compassion and insight." However, he cited that the main character "Leung's sudden about-face in his treatment of Evelyn represents the narrative’s obvious weak point".[5]
Box office
[edit]Still Human grossed HK$19,811,169 at the Hong Kong box office during its theatrical run from 11 April to 3 July 2019, making it the fifth highest-grossing domestic of the year in the territory.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Ma, Ji-man 馬意文 (2 January 2020). "香港市道差 2019年電影總票房下跌1.75%". Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ Anjum, Husna (7 December 2018). "Film review: Still Human". easternKicks. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ "淪落人". WMOOV (in Chinese). Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ a b "第38屆香港電影金像獎提名及得獎名單" [Nomination and Awardees list of The 38th Hong Kong Film Awards]. Hong Kong Film Awards (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Lowe, Justin (28 December 2018). "'Still Human': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ "3rd First Feature Film Initiative winners". createhk.gov.hk. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ Chan, Wing-si 陳穎思 (11 November 2018). "導演陳小娟棄筍工投身電影：要找到方法養活自己" [Director Oliver Chan abandoned an easy job to join the film industry: She must find a way to support oneself]. HK01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ Scott, Mathew (5 July 2019). "'Still Human' Stars Anthony Wong and Crisel Consunji on Their Roles of a Lifetime". Prestige Online. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ "撼贏視后胡定欣！Crisel Consunji奪新演員". Oriental Daily News (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 14 April 2019. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
- ^ "13th Asian Film Awards". Asian Film Awards. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ "21st Far East Film Festival winners". Far East Film Festival. Archived from the original on 8 July 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- ^ Cabana, Ysh (10 January 2020). "Film Review: Still Human (2018), The healing power of empathy". The Philippine Reporter. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
- ^ Lee, Edmund (10 April 2019). "Still Human film review: Anthony Wong, Crisel Consunji shine in heart-warming domestic help drama". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
- ^ Halligan, Fionnuala (19 March 2019). "'Still Human': Hong Kong Review". Retrieved 29 September 2019.
See also
[edit]- A Simple Life, 2011 Hong Kong film also centred on a caregiver
External links
[edit]- Still Human at IMDb
- Still Human at the Hong Kong Movie DataBase