Autumn Moon ("Qiu Yue")

Directors: Clara Law
Starring: Matatoshi Nagase
Year: 1992

Twenty-something Japanese tourist (Tokio) vacations to Hong Kong looking for good restaurants. He meets 15-year-old Chinese girl (Li Pui Wai). Wai, whose family has gone ahead of her to move to Canada, invites Tokio for a meal prepared by her 80-year-old grandmother. Through the platonic relationship that develops, both Tokio and Wai find support and companionship to fill their respective voids. As Tokio regains his taste for life and food and Wai emerges from childhood into womanhood, both confront the sources of their respective alienation.

Comments: Exquisitely shot, the film poses a wonderful contrast between modern vs. old cultures, and Japanese and Hong Kong Chinese cultures. Good performances by Nagase and Wai (her first and only film?) who execute very effectively most of the dialogue in broken, halting English.

Recommended.