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The First Girl I Loved

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Not to be confused with First Girl I Loved.
The First Girl I Loved
Theatrical release poster
Traditional Chinese喜歡妳是妳
JyutpingHei2 Fun1 Nei5 Si6 Nei5
Directed byYeung Chiu-hoi
Candy Ng
Screenplay byYeung Chiu-hoi
Candy Ng
Susan Sin
Produced byTeddy Robin
Patrick Tong
O Sing-pui
StarringHedwig Tam
Renci Yeung
CinematographyO Sing-pui
Edited byYeung Chiu-hoi
Candy Ng
Anita Chu
Music byDay Tai
Labroe Lee
Production
companies
Distributed byMei Ah Entertainment
Gala Films
Release dates
  • 2 November 2021 (2021-11-02) (HKAFF)
  • 25 November 2021 (2021-11-25) (Hong Kong)
Running time
106 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese

The First Girl I Loved (Chinese: 喜歡妳是妳) is a 2021 Hong Kong lesbian romance film co-directed and co-written by Yeung Chiu-hoi and Candy Ng. Starring Hedwig Tam and Renci Yeung as Wing and Sylvia, two schoolgirls and best friends, the film explores the blossoming and eventual fading of their romantic relationship during their school years.

TVB actor Yeung Chiu-hoi became interested in writing a feature film in 2014 and decided to collaborate with his university classmate and production house founder Candy Ng. Development of the project began the following year, and funding was secured in 2017 from Mei Ah Entertainment, Dreams Salon, and the Hong Kong Film Development Council. Principal photography commenced in August 2018 and spanned about one and a half years, with an additional two years dedicated to post-production. The film features a theme song "My Dear, Best Friend", performed by Eman Lam.

The film had its world premiere on 2 November 2021 at the 18th Hong Kong Asian Film Festival, followed by a theatrical release in Hong Kong on 25 November. It also won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 29th Mardi Gras Film Festival in Australia.

Plot

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In 2001, Wing and Sylvia are classmates and best friends at an all-girls Catholic school. Wing secretly loves Mr. Wong, an arts teacher, and writes him a love letter. Sylvia gives the letter to Wong without asking Wing, leading to Wong rejecting her and advising her to choose her affections wisely. Embarrassed, Wing confronts Sylvia, who reveals she is actually in love with Wing. The next day, Sylvia tries to clarify it was a joke, leading Wing to believe otherwise. They decide not to bring it up again and remain best friends for a semester. Sylvia, dreaming of studying film, invites Wing to help make a short film. During filming, they mimic a scene from Days of Being Wild and share their first kiss. Their relationship blossoms, but soon they are caught kissing by the school social worker, resulting in reports to the principal. Both parents need to meet with the school. Wing's father expresses no objections, but Sylvia's father discusses their financial struggles, urging her to behave at school to keep her scholarship.

Wing buys a ring for Sylvia and presents it at school, but Sylvia reacts coldly and suggests they break up, implying their feelings might be puppy love. Unwilling to accept this, Wing chases Sylvia to the playground and kisses her in front of other students. Sylvia hesitates but returns the kiss until teachers intervene. Both are scolded and forced to write apologies for their behavior. While reading their apologies in the school hall, Sylvia angrily tears hers up and leaves, taking full responsibility and claiming she initiated the kiss. She then quits school. Wing searches for Sylvia, but she vanishes from her life.

In 2003, Wing enters university to study sociology and meets Kin-long, her first male friend, who has feelings for her. One day, Wing unexpectedly runs into Sylvia, and they catch up. When Wing is about to ask if Sylvia still wants to be together, Sylvia reveals she has a boyfriend and they have been intimate. Heartbroken, Wing leaves and seeks solace in drink. In a moment of revenge, she has sex with Kin-long in the dormitory but finds no enjoyment. Shortly after, Sylvia calls Wing. Wing rushes to the hospital, only to find that Sylvia's father has died from heart failure. Sylvia tries to be strong for her siblings but breaks down when alone with Wing. Wing hugs her tightly, offering support and suggesting reconciliation. Sylvia replies that if they are not married by 30, they will marry each other, but they should not see each other until then, which Wing agrees.

Later, Wing learns that Sylvia has dropped out of film school to support her siblings. To help Sylvia achieve her dream, Wing transfers to film school and begins working as an assistant director. Inspired by their past, she decides to make a film based on their love story. Just before turning 30, Wing receives a call from Sylvia, informing her about her upcoming marriage and inviting her to be her bridesmaid. On the wedding day, Wing asks if Sylvia has arranged the marriage before 30 intentionally, but Sylvia does not answer. When the pastor reads the vows, Sylvia turns to Wing. Wing cries and mouths "yes", while Sylvia also cries and replies "yes" to her groom. At last, Wing returns to her alma mater and dances alone in the school hall, letting go of their relationship.

Cast

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In addition, Will Or appears as Sylvia's university boyfriend.[3] Film directors Adam Wong [zh] and Chan Kin-long make cameo appearances as Mr. Wong, an arts teacher of Wing and Sylvia, and Kin-long, a university classmate of Wing, respectively.[2]

Production

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Development

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Director-screenwriter Yeung Chiu-hoi [zh]

TVB actor Yeung Chiu-hoi [zh] became interested in producing a Hong Kong-based coming-of-age romance film after watching the Taiwanese film You Are the Apple of My Eye (2011) by Giddens Ko.[4] In 2014, he shared his desire to write a feature film with Candy Ng, his classmate at the City University of Hong Kong who founded a production house.[5][6] The two began developing the project together in 2015,[5] and completed the screenplay the same year.[7] Yeung noted that they chose to center the film around homosexual relationships because many teenagers grapple with the confusion regarding their feelings toward the same sex during school years.[7] However, the film does not emphasize the homosexual elements, it presents a simple school-themed love story instead that he believes everyone can relate to.[6] He conducted field research by interviewing all-girls school graduates about their views on romance, basing the story on some of their true experiences.[7] Yeung and Ng set the film in 2003, the year they completed their A-Levels during the SARS outbreak, intending to evoke a sense of nostalgia for audiences born in the 1980s and to capture their youth experiences.[5][6] The directors also intentionally cast inexperienced actors in the lead roles, reflecting their own status as new directors.[6] Over two hundred actresses were auditioned, including some from TVB, with Hedwig Tam and Renci Yeung ultimately selected for their suitability for the characters.[6] Tam was fouled out in the first round before changing her scene partner and showing better chemistry.[8] This film marks her third portrayal of a lesbian character, following The Yuppie Fantasia 3 (2017) and the short film Live On Without Me (2021).[9] She and Yeung participated in acting workshops together to more convincingly portray their intimate relationships in the film.[9] The project was primarily funded by Mei Ah Entertainment and Dreams Salon [zh].[7] Yeung and Ng also joined the First Feature Film Initiative and secured funding from the Hong Kong Film Development Council as part of Operation Greenlight, receiving HK$1,064,000 in 2017.[7][10]

Filming and post-production

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Principal photography began on 10 August 2018, with Tam, Yeung, Stephen Au, and Willie Wai [zh] announced to star.[11][12] Filming spanned a year and a half and was split into two parts.[5] The first shoot involved 20 scenes, while Yeung and Ng sought advice from industry seniors using the existing footage, and filmed nine additional scenes in the second shoot.[5] Most of the film, set in a secondary school, was shot at FDBWA Szeto Ho Secondary School [zh] in Lam Tin, Kwun Tong District.[13] During the shoot, the water system at the school set became contaminated, causing both Tam and Yeung to suffer from acute gastroenteritis and require injections.[14] Editing took another two years,[5] and the film was still in post-production as of September 2021.[7] A scene depicting a close intimacy between Tam and Yeung was cut from the theatrical release.[15] An official trailer was released in October 2021, coinciding with the early bird screenings at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival [zh], with tickets sold out within the first hour of sales,[16] which Yeung described as "flattering and unexpected".[17] The film features the theme song "My Dear, Best Friend", performed by Eman Lam, composed by Day Tai [zh], with lyrics by Jarita Wan [zh].[18] The music video for the song was released on 12 November 2021 following its premiere.[18]

Release

[edit]

The First Girl I Loved had its world premiere on 2 November 2021 at the 18th Hong Kong Asian Film Festival [zh],[19][20] and was theatrically released in Hong Kong on 25 November.[21] The film was later screened in competition at the 17th Osaka Asian Film Festival,[22] the 29th Mardi Gras Film Festival,[23] and the 24th Far East Film Festival.[24][25] It was also released theatrically in South Korea in April 2022,[26] and in Taiwan on 15 July 2022.[27]

Reception

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S. Louisa Wei, writing for HK01, commended The First Girl I Loved for its authentic portrayal of first love and the complexities of lesbian relationships, highlighting its emotional depth and the director's ability to capture genuine feelings, particularly on the particularly in the touching scenes that are based not on screenwriting techniques but on the authenticity of the characters' emotions.[28] Edmund Lee of the South China Morning Post gave the film 2/5 stars, calling it a "corny, naive, and hollow story" due to its heavy-handed writing and underdeveloped main characters, which result in a simplistic portrayal of a lesbian relationship that fails to engage the audience despite its poignant premise of sexual awakening.[1]

Cecilia Wong of The Stand News provided a negative review, stating that the film fails to adopt a lesbian perspective to challenge societal norms or explore the complexities of same-sex desire, instead reinforcing outdated narratives that undermine women's agency and homosexual romantic relationships. [29] Similarly, Chelsea Ma of the Hong Kong Film Critics Society criticized the film for superficially handling complex themes of same-sex love and societal constraints, ultimately reducing the struggles of its characters to a simplistic narrative that fails to authentically represent the realities of lesbian relationships.[30]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2022 17th Osaka Asian Film Festival Grand Prix — Nominated [22]
ABC TV Award — Won [31]
29th Mardi Gras Film Festival Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature — Won [32]
24th Far East Film Festival White Mulberry Yeung Chiu-hoi, Candy Ng Nominated [33]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Lee, Edmund (22 November 2021). "The First Girl I Loved movie review: tale of lesbian lovers' high-school romance let down by hokey screenwriting". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  2. ^ a b c "【喜歡妳是妳】演楊潮凱+吳詠珊首度執導 歐錦棠韋家雄等力撐影壇新血". Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese). 19 November 2021. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  3. ^ "柯煒林獲金馬獎男配角提名吐氣揚眉！新生代演員Will Or的率性時尚穿搭". Elle Hong Kong (in Chinese). 8 December 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  4. ^ 李承陽 (27 June 2022). "香港LGBTQ電影《喜歡妳是妳》 導演受《那些年》感動獲九把刀打氣". China Times (in Chinese). Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f 梁樂欣 (25 November 2021). "【喜歡妳是妳】楊潮凱吳詠珊用電影為觀眾尋回青春 首次執導：故事選擇了我們". Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e 王誦賢 (29 November 2021). "喜歡妳是妳‧專訪│楊潮凱花6年追電影夢 TVB演出經驗助拍攝更暢順". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e f 林迅景 (25 September 2021). "「TVB肌肉男神」楊潮凱夢想成真 升格做電影導演：一手一腳包辦". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 17 January 2025. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  8. ^ 梁樂欣 (21 November 2021). "【喜歡妳是妳】楊偲泳自覺母性強易心軟 談善言從愛情第一到抗拒依賴". Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 27 November 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  9. ^ a b Tang, Cherry (13 January 2022). "專訪談善言HEDWIG TAM 「如果你很想、很真心地去做一件事的時侯，整個世界都會幫你」". Ming Pao (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 12 October 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  10. ^ "電影發展基金下各計劃獲資助的項目" (PDF). Hong Kong Film Development Council (in Chinese). 12 June 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  11. ^ 賴家杰 (11 August 2018). "【喜歡妳是妳】談善言自稱「萬年學生」 楊偲泳首次擔正女主角". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 26 April 2025. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  12. ^ 鍾舜英 (11 August 2021). "談善言楊偲泳 戲互咀". Yahoo! News (in Chinese). Sing Tao Daily. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  13. ^ Wong, Gary (28 November 2021). "【場景說故事 17】五邑司徒浩中學 喜歡妳是妳" (in Chinese). Film Pilgrimage. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2025 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ 沈洛嘉 (2 November 2021). "《喜歡得妳是妳》楊偲泳談善言拍濕吻戲搞到病 去醫院打針再開工". HK01 (in Chinese). Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  15. ^ 王誦賢 (25 November 2021). "喜歡妳是妳‧專訪│楊偲泳爆更大膽場面被刪 談善言：女仔可以更放". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 28 July 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  16. ^ 許育民 (22 October 2021). "《喜歡妳是妳》首預告大量親密場面 談善言楊偲泳揭女校秘聞". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 13 February 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  17. ^ 許育民 (13 October 2021). "《喜歡妳是妳》兩度加推優先場照樣秒爆 導演楊潮凱︰受寵若驚". HK01 (in Chinese). Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  18. ^ a b "林二汶靚聲配學生妹不能相愛劇情 《喜歡妳是妳》MV睇到心痛". Sing Tao Daily (in Chinese). 12 November 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  19. ^ 許育民 (25 September 2021). "香港亞洲電影節｜同性新作《喜歡妳是妳》 談善言楊偲泳上演濕吻". HK01 (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  20. ^ "林二汶《喜歡妳是妳》主題曲MV曝光 談善言楊偲泳展現苦戀甜蜜與哀愁". Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese). 11 November 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  21. ^ "《喜歡妳是妳》獲電影節垂青連環奪獎 導演演員感安慰繼續謝票答謝支持". Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese). 3 December 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  22. ^ a b "《喜歡妳是妳》入圍大阪亞洲電影節 楊潮凱感光榮同興奮". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 17 February 2022. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  23. ^ "【人夫放假約出去滾】楊潮凱入行至今未獲演員提名 處男作《喜歡妳是妳》成功衝出香港". Hong Kong Economic Times (in Chinese). 16 March 2022. Archived from the original on 26 September 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  24. ^ "《喜歡妳是妳》意大利首映 楊潮凱感觸落淚：難想像香港故事可感動當地觀眾". am730 (in Chinese). 2 May 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  25. ^ Robinson, Harry (20 May 2022). "HK cinema road show kicks off in Udine". China Daily (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  26. ^ 林迅景 (4 March 2022). "港產女同電影《喜歡妳是妳》韓國上映 導演楊潮凱：真係好消息！". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 14 December 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  27. ^ 許世穎 (12 July 2022). "女星雨中女女激吻難分難捨 第二天發高燒又腸胃炎". Liberty Times (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 22 August 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  28. ^ Wei, S. Louisa (5 November 2021). "女校女生｜《喜歡妳是妳》的烏托邦氣質". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 18 August 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  29. ^ Wong, Cecilia (15 November 2021). "《喜歡妳是妳》— 離不開異性戀至上，又再現沒有現在、沒有將來的女女情慾". Stand News (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  30. ^ Ma, Chelsea (15 December 2021). "《喜歡妳是妳》的最大遺憾". Hong Kong Film Critics Society (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  31. ^ 吳子生 (21 March 2022). "楊潮凱承接氣勢再憑電影《喜歡妳是妳》獲得大阪「ABC電視獎」". HK01 (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 6 August 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  32. ^ "楊潮凱處男作《喜歡妳是妳》澳洲獲獎". am730 (in Chinese). 11 March 2022. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
  33. ^ "《喜歡妳是妳》入圍烏甸尼遠東電影節競逐新晉導演 楊潮凱︰多謝大會". Ming Pao (in Chinese). 13 April 2022. Retrieved 2 May 2025.
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