Hong Kong’s best LGBT films, from Happy Together directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung, to All About Love featuring Sandra Ng

Aug 29 , 2021

Here are some of Hong Kong’s best LGBTQ films, featuring actors like Leslie Cheung and Sandra Ng. Photo: Nexus, New Voice Film Productions, All About Love/Facebook

There’s more to Hong Kong cinema than kung fu action flicks starring Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan – the city’s art house films are worth a watch too

Wong Kar-wai might be best known for Chungking Express and In the Mood for Love, but he also directed Happy together, while Ann Hui directed All About Love despite low investment

When people think of Hong Kong cinema, images of old-school kung fu films featuring death-defying stunts and stars like Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan might come to mind. Others might think of melodramas, romances and even iconic comedy flicks.

But there’s a lesser known film genre that’s worth viewers’ attention too: art house films. The evocative and bold style of film thrived in the late 80s and has been gradually picking up steam not only with local film viewers, but also among international audiences.

Art house films can typically cover “taboo” topics that are not portrayed in mainstream film plots. LGBTQ+ issues were once such a topic in Hong Kong society – and, in many ways, the city still has a long way to go when it comes to accepting and empowering LGBTQ+ communities. But one significant change is that queer storylines are becoming gradually more common in the media.

Hong Kong cinema has many films that revolve around LGBTQ+ characters and their lives. Here are some of the best that you should check out …

Happy Together (1997)

Leslie Cheung stars in Happy Together. Photo: Block 2 Pictures Inc.

Internationally renown director Wong Kar-wai – who created 2046, In the Mood for Love and Chungking Express – released Happy Together in 1997, following the relationship of Ho Po-wing and Lai Yiu-fai as they move to Buenos Aires. Since its release, Happy Together has been described as the “most acclaimed gay Asian film”, and has been praised and recognised artistically by other filmmakers.

The film won, and was nominated for, several awards. Its wins include best director at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, best cinematography at the 34th Golden Horse Awards (to Christopher Doyle) and best actor at the 17th Hong Kong Film Awards (to Tony Leung).

Suk Suk (2019)

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