Latest news with #SonsOfTheNeonNight
South China Morning Post
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
China ‘goddess' actress makes comeback in Hong Kong crime thriller, stuns audiences at Cannes
Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan has made a notable comeback to the media spotlight with her new Hong Kong film, Sons of the Neon Night, which recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Advertisement After marrying Taiwanese-Canadian actor Mark Chao in 2014 and welcoming a daughter in 2019, Gao significantly reduced her public exposure, making her return to showbiz especially stunning for fans who observed that she seemed to have not aged at all. Sons of the Neon Night, a Hong Kong dystopian crime thriller, had its world premiere at Cannes on May 17. Gao graced the red carpet alongside director Juno Mak and co-stars Tony Leung Ka-fai and Louis Koo Tin-lok, while the other two main actors, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Sean Lau Ching-wan, were notably absent. Hong Kong actor Tony Leung, far left, along with Chinese actress Gao Yuanyuan, centre, and actor Louis Koo, arrived for the screening of 'Sons of the Neon Night' at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2025. Photo: Sameer AL-DOUMY/AFP In the film, Gao portrays a retired therapist with a 'mysterious' character. She described the role as making her feel 'strange' in a positive way. Reflecting on the 2005 film Shanghai Dreams, which brought her to Cannes two decades ago, she recounted receiving a comment that suggested she was simply 'being herself' in that film, a notion that has lingered with her since. She said that for years she has sought to connect her roles with her personal self while maintaining a degree of distance. Sons of the Neon Night began shooting in 2017 and took eight years to reach audiences. The film features music composed by the legendary Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away in 2023. Advertisement On Chinese social media, Gao is affectionately referred to by many as their 'childhood goddess'.
The Star
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Hong Kong cinema plans to resurrect its golden age with fresh faces at Cannes
Tony Leung Ka-fai poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Sons Of The Neon Night' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Saturday, May 17, 2025. Photo: AP Hong Kong's once world-famous movie industry wants to bring back the heydays of the 1970s to the 1990s by investing in a new generation of directors, the chairman of the city's film development council said at the Cannes Film Festival. "We should not forget our identity. How the people all over the world would look at us when they recognise a Hong Kong movie," said Wilfred Wong, chairman of the council that is mainly responsible for government funding of the industry. Hong Kong cinema exploded in the 1970s with Bruce Lee's martial arts films. Following his death, that mantle was taken up by Jackie Chan. The industry expanded into other genres and became the darling of international film festivals with titles such as In The Mood For Love , Infernal Affairs and Kung Fu Hustle . Stars like Andy Lau, Michelle Yeoh and Maggie Cheung, and directors such as John Woo and Johnnie To, were frequently seen walking on the festival's red carpet. Hong Kong's star started to fade in the 1990s when the former British colony was handed over to China, due to a variety of factors, including overproduction, the Asian financial crisis and talent leaving for Hollywood. With a view to the shrinking industry, investors were unwilling to take a risk on young talent and would only approve productions with well-known stars and directors. Hong Kong's Film Development Council is now looking to address that by financially supporting new directors' first film initiative. The council has in recent years groomed 32 new directors, said Wong. One of those new talents, director and actor Juno Mak, wrote and directed the Cannes out-of-competition film Sons Of The Neon Nights , starring veteran actor Tony Leung Ka-fai. "It's kind of happiness, joy, enjoyable and satisfaction. So we can again show to all the audience and all the people in the world what Hong Kong productions are going on now," Leung Ka-fai said. The 67-year-old actor said that Hong Kong's film industry was in need of new blood. "We need new generations of directors, new generations of actors and actresses, new generations of script writers, new generations of every part that makes this dream," he said. – Reuters
Independent Singapore
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Independent Singapore
'Sons of the Neon Night' Cannes premiere: Juno Mak and Tony Leung encourage viewers to value films
FRANCE: Hong Kong's dystopian crime thriller Sons of the Neon Night premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on the 17th May after a decade-long production journey, marking its global debut in the Midnight Screenings section, as reported by Dimsum Daily . Photo: Instagram/Sons Of The Neon Night Juno Mak wrote and directed the movie, which had a fantastic cast that included some really well-known actors, such as Tony Leung Fai, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Sean Lau, Louis Koo, and Gao Yuanyuan. Set in Hong Kong The movie tells an intense story about the craziness that happens after a powerful drug company boss dies. It is set in Hong Kong, which is totally covered in snow—a different and cool twist. As the chairman's youngest son attempts to break away from his family's criminal enterprise, power battles break out inside the underground. Leung reminisced on the production ending in 2017 after the eagerly awaited premiere brought back strong memories. After seeing the movie again, he saw his character and the plot from a different angle. See also Tony Leung used to be a party boy Struggles of city life He pointed out that even though the movie looks a lot like Hong Kong, the ideas it explores about being human and the struggles of city life are things people everywhere can connect with. Living in a modern metropolis clearly reveals the daily 'rush, battles, and sufferings' that accompany it. Mak clarified that the film's completion took a very long time, mainly due to the pandemic's damage to the work following filming. In addition, a ton of complicated CGI was needed. In addition, it was a real challenge to make Hong Kong look snowy since it's usually pretty warm there! Amazingly, they actually created most of the snow—about 80%—right there on set and only used digital effects for the rest. Try something fresh Mak said he saw Sons of the Neon Night as a chance to shake up the usual crime movie and try some different things. He admitted that making another Rigor Mortis —his first movie—would have been the more straightforward path. 'But,' he added, 'I wanted to explore something new and find my truth as a filmmaker.' Making the movie was a real battle against the weather! They started filming in Hong Kong during a scorching summer—can you imagine the actors wearing thick winter coats in that 30°C heat? Then, they had to film in South Korea when it was absolutely freezing—the middle of winter! Leung was impressed with how calm and collected Mak stayed through it all, especially since those crazy temperature changes were taking a toll on the actors. The film also features music from the incredibly talented, and sadly missed, Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Mak fondly recalled their collaboration as 'magical,' especially during a six-hour session in Tokyo, during which they shaped the movie's core sound. Apparently, Sakamoto was really inspired by the film's unique snowy setting, which lined up with his own artistic interests. How vital movie theatres are Later, at Cannes, both Mak and Leung emphasized how vital movie theaters are. They urged everyone to return to seeing films on the big screen together. Leung put it beautifully: 'Cinemas allow hundreds to gather and breathe together, sharing the director's dream.' He emphasised that even though streaming is so popular now, we shouldn't forget how special it is to connect with others through the unique experience of watching a movie in a cinema.
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Why Sons of the Neon Night, new Hong Kong crime movie from Juno Mak, took 8 years to make
For someone who barely slept a wink the previous night, Juno Mak Chun-lung seems to be in surprisingly high spirits. Then again, how could he not be, having just seen his latest movie making its bow at the most important film festival in the world? The premiere of Sons of the Neon Night at Cannes on May 16 was the culmination of nearly eight years of work, says the 41-year-old Hong Kong musician-filmmaker, and he was relieved to see the film play at the Lumiere Theatre, the main venue of the festival held annually on the French Riviera. Principal shooting for the film had already finished by the time Christian Jeune, director of the festival's film department, came to Hong Kong in 2018 for a preview, Mak says, but because editing had not begun, Jeune was only shown 'dailies' - raw, unedited footage. Post-production was completed during the pandemic, after which the film's distributor - Distribution Workshop, co-founded by veteran Hong Kong industry mover Nansun Shi - began reaching out again to film festivals. 'We finally got the call from Cannes in March about the selection of the film at the festival this year,' Mak tells the Post. Juno Mak (second right) poses with (from left) Louis Koo, Gao Yuanyuan and Tony Leung at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2025. Photo: AP Sons of the Neon Night was screened as part of the festival's 'Midnight Screenings', a section mostly dedicated to envelope-pushing, action-heavy genre movies. Soi Cheang Pou-soi's Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In received its international premiere in the same section in 2024.
