ReviewNo 7 Cherry Lane movie review: Yonfan’s sexually charged animation, set in 1967 Hong Kong, is anything but provocatively political
- Winner of the best screenplay award at Venice last year, No 7 Cherry Lane is Hong Kong director Yonfan’s first animated film
- The erotically charged story revolves around an English literature student at the University of Hong Kong who is lusted after by every man or woman he meets
3/5 stars
For an art-house auteur in his 70s to come out of semi-retirement and make his first animated film, and for him to set his story precisely in 1967 Hong Kong against a backdrop of violent demonstrations against British colonial rule, Yonfan’s latest effort might seem at first like a passion project with important messages to convey.
But make no mistake about Yonfan’s intentions. His film, despite its political context, is anything but provocative. A sensual portrait of longing which frequently loses its narrative momentum to a litany of cinematic and literary references, if anything it depicts social upheaval as mere disturbance to better living through sex, arts and daydreaming.
The erotically charged story revolves around Ziming (voiced by Alex Lam Tak-shun, Lion Rock ), an English literature student at the University of Hong Kong who is lusted after by every man or woman he meets. Right after he plays a tennis game in the opening scene with an imaginary ball, à la 1966’s Blow-up , Ziming becomes the object of everyone’s desire in the shower room.