First of May

Mrs. Ho, a senile and distraught widow, lives by herself in a walk-up building. For more than half a century, Mrs. Ho has been living in her flat since she was married. But, after an accident, her legs went lame. Her son keeps persuading her to sell the flat and move into a building with lifts. She refuses and she wants to hold onto the flat, her only contact with her dead husband, where they used to do tap-dance together. Of course, they weren’t Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers but, the film makes touchingly clear, we need to listen to rhythm of their dance. More importantly, Mrs. Ho’s perseverance and strength recall the portrayal of another old woman – Ella Garth (Jo Van Fleet) in Elia Kazan’s masterpiece Wild River (1960).

Directed by Lam Chi Yu, First of May leans on a strong ensemble — Yeung Yee-Yee, Lo Chun-Yip, Ng Kam Chuen — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2017.