The Making and the Marketing of “The Last Dance”

The Last Dance, a drama about funeral rites in the Cantonese Taoism style and a traditional Chinese family, has broken box office records as the highest-grossing Hong Kong film in the city. With 4 accolades at the 61st Asia Pacific Film Festival and 18 nominations in the coming 43rd Hong Kong Film Awards, The Last Dance has made waves in a culture in which death and dying, alongside the pain of the bereaved, used to be a touchy, if not taboo, subject for open discussions. This film has defied the odds by mobilizing Hong Kongers to the cinema to watch an exquisite funeral drama. How has The Last Dance managed to do that? The Director-cum-Screenwriter, Anselm Chan Mou Yin, was invited to the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, to share some behind-the-scene stories about the making and the marketing of The Last Dance, together with his personal journey on life and death. He candidly shared the ups and downs with the audience. His final tip for everyone regarding how to keep dancing amidst storms in life: “Be at peace with yourself first.” Audience was captivated by Anselm’s wit and wisdom. The talk ended with burst of applause.