All Shall Be Well

Director  Ray YEUNG

Hong Kong | 2024 | 93min | Color | Drama | Chinese

All Shall Be Well Selected as the Opening Film of the 14th SIPFF

Winner of the 2024 Berlinale Teddy Award for Best Feature Film

A Highly Anticipated and Realistic Portrayal of an Aging Lesbian Couple

A Beautifully Nuanced Queer Drama Exploring Life and Family Dynamics in Hong Kong

“A gentle exploration of the unexpected aftermath of loss.” 

Ray YEUNG’s All Shall Be Well has been selected as the opening film for the 14th SIPFF. This poignant story follows an elderly woman as she grapples with the unexpected loss of her partner of over 40 years and struggles to preserve the home they shared. Starring Patra AU and Maggie LI as the elderly lesbian couple, the film offers a moving exploration of love, loss, and the meaning of family. All Shall Be Well is YEUNG’s fourth feature film, following his acclaimed iTwilight’s Kiss (Suk Suk) (2019), a romance between two older men that screened at the Busan International Film Festival. The film had its world premiere in the 2024 Berlinale Panorama section, where it won the Teddy Award for the most outstanding queer film and is now set for its Korean premiere at SIPFF.

In All Shall Be Well, Ray YEUNG once again delves into LGBTQ+ life and identity while addressing universal themes of loneliness, family, and aging. The film follows a wealthy lesbian couple in their mid-60s in Hong Kong, respected by their relatives during life. However, after the unexpected death of one partner, conflicts arise over funeral arrangements and property rights. The narrative carefully illustrates the dual isolation and discrimination elderly LGBTQ+ individuals face when unable to marry legally, shedding light on systemic and social issues like Hong Kong’s stance on same-sex marriage, real estate conflicts, and economic insecurity. Reflecting the injustices LGBTQ+ individuals endure during family tragedies, the film resonates quietly yet deeply with audiences, leaving a lasting impact. Upon its release, critics praised it as “a gentle exploration of the unexpected aftermath of loss” and “a film that captures the feeling of everyday sorrows that disrupt one’s life.”

SIPFF programmer Dave KIM explained the selection of All Shall Be Well as this year’s opening film, describing it as “a film that tackles same-sex marriage—one of the most pressing issues in Asian LGBTQ+ rights—with exceptional precision and sensitivity.” He added, “From his start on the executive committee of the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival in 2000 to becoming the first Asian director to win the Berlinale’s Teddy Award for the most outstanding queer feature, Ray YEUNG has established himself as one of Asia’s leading queer filmmakers,” expressing both admiration and high expectations for YEUNG’s work.

Synopsis

Angie and Pat are a couple living in Hong Kong who have been together for over four decades. After Pat's unexpected death, Angie finds herself at the mercy of her extended family as she struggles to retain both her dignity and the home that they shared for over thirty years.

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