Winner of the 63th International Cannes Film Week in 2024, the first feature film by Constance Tsang, presents the daily life of employees of a traditional massage fair in new York, with its advantages and disadvantages.
In the largest Asian district of New York, there is a discreet massage fair which employs young serious women who apply to satisfy an easy clientele in a soothing and friendly atmosphere. One of them, a charismatic character of this story, is called Didi. Over the long minutes of film that get away, we discover her daily life made up of personalized appointments and rare moments of relaxation that she appreciates spending at the restaurant in the company of Cheung, a taiwanese of mature age in a divorce.
Victim of an armed attack at the “Blue Sun Palace”, on Chinese New Year Day, the young idealist who saved money in order to open a restaurant by the sea in Baltimore, died before the eyes of her best friend Amy, traumatized since then …
Made with style and trick, this first feature film of Constance Tsang captivates the spectator from the first scenes, while leaving many gray areas that have fun as the film progresses. Like a puzzle of 1000 pieces, the information is given on the dropper. These make it possible to understand not only the intrigue with a rough appearance but also to become familiar with the many stakeholders in history, before starting a final as surprising as it is moving.
Constance Tsang is an American director based in New York. Graduated from the University of Columbia with a master’s degree in scriptwriting and realization, she obtained a scholarship from the Robert Gore Rifkind Launch Fund. Supported in his future projects by Starlight Stars Collective et Tribeca Filmthe young American impresses with the quality of her first film which has already obtained the first prize (French touch of the jury) at the 63th Edition of the International Critics’ Week that has been promoting since 1990 in Cannes, the discovery of new talents and cinematographic currents.
We count in the casting of Blue Sun PalaceLee Kang-Sheng, favorite actor of Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-Liang, with whom he has collaborated for more than thirty years on films like The rebels of the neon god, the flavor of the watermelonor Days. The famous Asian actor, who is known for his slowness, imposed his particular rhythm on the film, which is not unpleasant.
Blue Sun Palace Takes up in Flushing, a Queens district which has more than 70,000 inhabitants of Asian origin. It is the biggest Chinatown in New York, in front of that of Manhattan. This iconic district is known mainly for its all -kind restaurants, its fitness centers and its many karaoke rooms.
If the central theme of the film is mourning, it also addresses the notions of love, comfort, and home. The filmmaker who lost very young her father very young, began to write this film with the desire to reconnect with her past as well as with the whole community she has left, following this painful event. A reflection was also made in this work, as for the decisions that we make when you lose a loved one.
Genre: American-Chinese dramatic film, duration 1h45.
Director & Scriptwriter: Constance Tsang
Avec: Wu Ke-Xi (Amy), Lee Kang-Sheng (Cheung), Haipeng Xu (Didi), Min Han Hsieh (Josie), Lisha Zheng (Fei), Leo Chen (Tony), Wu Chengying (Xiao), Huang Guiping (Ping), April Wang (Vivi), Zhu Yating (Elaine), Wang Liming (Mike), Janet Hsieh (Lin), Lily Gao (Mei), Lynn Xiong (Ah Pui), Zhang Lu (Fong Fong), Xiao Xiao Sun (Voleur).
Production: Niour Films, Charades, Big Buddha Pictures, Field Trip Productions.
Distributor: First Hand.
Swiss outing: 30.04.25
