Hong Kong Asian Film Festival 2024: 10 of the best movies to see, including The Last Dance

October 14, 20242 Mins Read

This year’s Hong Kong Asian Film Festival (HKAFF) promises to be one of the most ambitious yet.

Beyond showcasing many of 2024’s most highly anticipated titles from across the region, as well as a number of acclaimed hits from the global festival circuit, this year’s programme shines a spotlights on New Kazakh Cinema, has a sidebar examining how Palestinian filmmakers are documenting the Israel-Gaza war, and a New Talent Award section elevating new filmmakers from the region.

Below are 10 highlights of this year’s festival that are not to be missed.

1. The Last Dance

【《破 · 地獄》先導預告正式登場】

Launching the festival is this timely and heartfelt drama, which marks a change of tack for Ready or Rot director Anselm Chan Mou-yin.

The financial crunch caused by the Covid-19 pandemic forces a wedding planner, played by Dayo Wong Tze-wah, to take a job at a funeral planning service, where he dives headfirst into all manner of morbid tasks, from opening graves to handling dead bodies.

He must also earn the approval of, and collaborate with, Michael Hui Koon-man’s ageing Taoist priest, who has dedicated his life to his religion.

The film reunites the two veteran comedians for the first time in more than three decades, and promises to offer a life-affirming look at our last dance.