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Snow in Midsummer film image

Snow in Midsummer

五月雪

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North American Premiere

Haunting, mysterious, and mournful, Chong Keat Aun’s film explores the persecution of the Malaysian Chinese. The first part of Chong’s story concerns May 13, 1969, the day when racial mob violence in Kuala Lumpur led to many killings—mostly of Chinese people. In the second part of the film, set in 2018, middle-aged Ah Eng (Wan Fang) leaves her husband to embark on a mysterious quest. Chong deliberately keeps the story somewhat murky for much of the film’s running time, but when the connections are revealed during a graveside conversation, what emerges is clarifying and powerful. Snow in Midsummer is a film of protest, but it’s many other things as well: an examination of grief, a complex sociological portrait, a work that gracefully explores the possibilities of the long take… Perhaps best of all, it’s a loving depiction of traditional Chinese opera, with the first part of the film set among the milieu of live performance and the second part paying a wistful tribute to the art form.

 

Community Partner

Director
Cast

Wan Fang, Pearlly Chua, Rexen Cheng, Pauline Tan, Peter Yu, Alvin Wong

Credits
Country of Origin

Malaysia/Taiwan/Singapore

Year

2023

Series

Panorama

Language

In Malay, Mandarin and Cantonese with English subtitles

Film Contact
18+
116 min
Drama

Book Tickets

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Credits

Producer

Kew Soon Wong, Gene Yao, Wai Thong Chow, Jennifer Jao

Screenwriter

Keat Aun Chong

Cinematography

Jerry Hsu

Editor

Ai Chen Goh

Production Design

Bao Shan Chiang

Original Music

Kah Hoe Yii, Keat Aun Chong

Director

Keat Aun Chong headshot

Keat Aun Chong

Chong Keat Aun is an award-winning Malaysian writer-director. His first short Cemetery of Courtesy was shortlisted for the 22nd Busan International Film Festival. His directorial debut The Story of Southern Islet earned him the award for Best New Director and the FIPRESCI Prize and NETPAC Prize at the 57th Golden Horse Awards in 2020.

Filmography: The Story of Southern Islet (2020)

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