Comrades: Almost a Love Story
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Comrades: Almost a Love Story | ||
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Hanyu Pinyin Tián mì mì | | |
Yue: Cantonese | ||
Jyutping | Tim4 mat6 mat6 |
Kwong Chi-Leung
companies
United Filmakers Organization
- 2 November 1996
Comrades: Almost a Love Story (Chinese: 甜蜜蜜; lit. 'very sweet') is a 1996 Hong Kong film starring Maggie Cheung, Leon Lai, Eric Tsang, and Kristy Yang. It was directed by Peter Chan. The Chinese title refers to "Tian Mi Mi", a song by Teresa Teng whose songs are featured in the film. It was filmed on location in Hong Kong and New York City. Leon Lai later commented in 1997 that the story of Li Xiao Jun is somewhat a description of his own life.[1]
Plot
The film, spanning years, centres on two
Burdened by guilt and his love for Li Qiao, Xiao-Jun confesses to his wife that he has not been faithful. He then leaves Hong Kong, and becomes a cook in the United States. Pao, chased by the Hong Kong police, escapes with Li Qiao to the U.S. as illegal immigrants. After almost 10 years, Xiao-Jun and Li Qiao meet again as lonely immigrants in the U.S. (after the latter gets her green card). By then, both of them have already been freed from their previous partners - Xiao-Jun left his wife, and Pao is killed in a mugging in the U.S. The film ends with Xiao-Jun and Li Qiao fatefully meeting each other in front of an electronic store that has a display television playing a music video by Teresa Teng, after news of the singer's death had broken. It is revealed that the two had sat back to back on their first train ride to Hong Kong.
Production
The Chinese title of the film, 'Tian Mi Mi', comes from
Lai was mostly known as a "pop idol" at the time while Cheung was considered an "established character actress", causing some people who knew Chan to doubt their pairing. However, Chan stated that he has originally considered Faye Wong for the role based on her mainland origins, but she turned it down, leading him to cast Cheung instead.[2]
Release
Comrades: Almost a Love Story was released in Hong Kong on 2 November 1996.[3] The film grossed a total of HK$15,557,580 on its initial theatrical run in Hong Kong.[3]
The film was screened theatrically for the first time in nearly a decade at the
Initially the Mainland Chinese government put restrictions on the film, but they were lifted in 2015. As part of the Mainland Chinese release,
Reception
The film was very well received in Hong Kong and Taiwan, winning best picture, director, and actress for the Hong Kong Film Awards, among other wins. Maggie Cheung's performance also won general acclaim. The movie was voted #11 of the Greatest Chinese Films of all time by the Chinese Movie Database
In 2011, the
Awards and nominations
Awards
23rd Seattle International Film Festival
- Best Film (Golden Space Needle)
- Best Picture
- Best Director - Peter Chan Ho-Sun
- Best Actress - Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk
- Best Supporting Actor - Eric Tsang Chi-Wai
- Best Screenplay - Ivy Ho
- Best Cinematography - Jingle Ma Chor-Sing
- Best Art Direction - Hai Chung-Man
- Best Costume Design - Ng Lei-Lo
- Best Original Music Score - Chiu Tsang-Hei
Nominations
- Best Actor - Leon Lai
- Best Newcomer - Kristy Yang
34th
- Best Picture
- Best Actress
Notes and references
- ^ 《黎明 Leon Lai》Music, Memories & More... (5 August 2016), 《黎明 Leon Lai》情深說話盡情講 Leon Lai Special 1997, archived from the original on 14 December 2021, retrieved 9 January 2018
- ^ "Comrades, Almost a Love Story at 25: director on the film and its stars". South China Morning Post. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Comrades, almost a love story". Hong Kong Film Archive. Archived from the original on 17 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ a b Ma, Kevin (16 July 2013). "Restored Asian classics to be screened in Venice". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on 24 July 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ Hsu, Hua. "The Melancholy Pop Idol Who Haunts China" (). The New Yorker. August 3, 2015. Retrieved on August 4, 2015.
- ^ "Chinese Movie Database". Retrieved 29 October 2017.
- ^ a b Cremin, Stephen (27 January 2011). "Horse announces greatest Chinese films". Film Business Asia. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2013.