Love After Love (2020 film)

Love After Love
Film poster
Traditional Chinese第一爐香
Simplified Chinese第一炉香
Hanyu PinyinDì yī lú xiāng
Directed byAnn Hui
Written byWang Anyi
Based onAloeswood Incense: The First Brazier
by Eileen Chang
Produced byAnn Hui
StarringMa Sichun
Faye Yu
Eddie Peng
Chang Chun-ning
Fan Wei
CinematographyChristopher Doyle
Edited byKwong Chi-leung
Mary Stephen
Music byRyuichi Sakamoto
Production
companies
Alibaba Pictures
Blue Bird Film
HeHe Pictures
Distributed byFortissimo Films
Release dates
Running time
144 minutes[1]
CountryChina
LanguageMandarin
Box office¥64 million[2][3]

Love After Love (Chinese: 第一炉香) is a 2020 Chinese romantic drama film directed by Ann Hui, and starring Ma Sichun, Faye Yu, Eddie Peng, Chang Chun-ning and Fan Wei. The film had its world premiere at the 77th Venice International Film Festival on September 8, 2020.[4][5] It was released theatrically in China on October 22, 2021.[6]

The film marked the third time Hui directed an Eileen Chang adaptation (following 1984's Love In A Fallen City and 1997's Eighteen Springs). It is an adaption of Chang's novella Aloeswood Incense: The First Brazier,[7] a sprawling love story set in 1940s Hong Kong.[8][9]

Synopsis

Set in Hong Kong shortly before the Second World War, Ge Weilong (Sandra Ma) plays a young girl who travels from Shanghai to Hong Kong in pursuit of education, but ends up working for her aunt seducing rich and powerful men.

Cast

Music

The film's soundtrack was composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto.[10]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the 77th Venice International Film Festival on September 8, 2020.[11] It also screened at the 25th Busan International Film Festival on October 23, 2020,[12][13] and at the 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival on October 31, 2020.[14]

Awards and nominations

Year Ceremony Category Recipient Results Ref(s)
2022 40th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Cinematography Christopher Doyle, Kubbie Tsoi Nominated [15]
Best Art Direction Zhao Hai Nominated
Best Costume Make Up Design Emi Wada Nominated
Best Original Film Score Ryuichi Sakamoto Won

References

  1. ^ "第一炉香 (豆瓣)". douban. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  2. ^ "Love After Love - Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  3. ^ "创许鞍华作品新低，5.6分的《第一炉香》错在哪？". 1905电影网. Archived from the original on 2021-11-04. Retrieved 2021-12-04.
  4. ^ "Venice 2020 preview: Screen's guide to the Out Of Competition titles". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  5. ^ "'Love After Love' ('Di Yu Lu Xiang'): Film Review". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  6. ^ "许鞍华新片《第一炉香》定档10.22 马思纯彭于晏演绎张爱玲笔下爱情故事". Sohu News. 2021-09-22. Archived from the original on 2021-09-22. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  7. ^ Clare (2011-01-17). "Review: Love in a Fallen City". The Literary Omnivore. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
  8. ^ "'Love After Love': Venice Review". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  9. ^ "Once Upon a Time in Hong Kong: Ann Hui on "Love After Love"". MUBI. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  10. ^ Lo, Zabrina. "Ann Hui's New Film 'Love After Love' is Finally Screening in Hong Kong". Tatler Asia. Archived from the original on 2023-05-11. Retrieved 2023-05-11.
  11. ^ "Biennale Cinema 2020 - Di yi lu xiang (Love After Love)". Venice Film Festival. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Ann Hui's "Love After Love" Selected for Gala Presentation at BIFF". Haps Korea. October 7, 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  13. ^ "Ann Hui's LOVE AFTER LOVE Selected for Gala Presentation at Busan International Film Festival". Vimooz. 6 October 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  14. ^ "Schedule for 33rd Tokyo International Film Festival(2020) (Love After Love)". Tokyo International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 2021-05-25. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
  15. ^ "Nomination List of The 40th Hong Kong Film Awards". Archived from the original on 2023-01-27. Retrieved 2022-06-12.