All Shall Be Well: A Heart-Wrenching Drama that Highlights a Tragic Legal Loophole
Image: A still from the movie All Shall Be Well
In the latest film from writer-director Ray Yeung, an elderly lesbian loses her unmarried life partner unexpectedly, only to see her once-cordial relationship with the latter’s relatives disintegrate over inheritance issues. This quietly heart-wrenching drama, titled All Shall Be Well, highlights a loophole in same-sex couples’ legal rights in Hong Kong.
The film, which won the Teddy Award at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, proves a worthy follow-up to Yeung’s Suk Suk, another acclaimed drama focusing on the distressing situations faced by older gay people in Chinese society.
A Tender Glimpse into a 40-Year Relationship
The film opens with a tender glimpse into the loving, 40-plus-year relationship between Angie Wang (Patra Au Ga-man) and Pat Wu (Maggie Li Lin-lin) as they prepare to welcome Pat’s older brother, Shing (Tai Bo), and his extended family to a cozy Mid-Autumn Festival dinner in their apartment.
“The affection between Angie and the Wu family begins to fade, starting with the Wu’s denying Pat’s wish for a sea burial, despite Angie’s insistence, in favour of a fortune-teller’s plea to put her ashes in a columbarium based on feng shui reasons.”
A Struggle for Inheritance
When Pat dies suddenly in her sleep at age 69 without leaving a will, the affection between Angie and the Wu family begins to fade. Angie soon faces the prospect of being removed from her residence of over 30 years, as her unofficial in-laws take advantage of the fact her name is not on the property deed – something that would be impossible with a heterosexual marriage.
Image: A Hong Kong property
A Former Teacher Shines as a Widow Besieged by Grief and Human Greed
A former teacher who made her film debut in her 60s with Suk Suk, Au provides the beating heart of this understated drama as a widow besieged by grief and human greed. Around her, the uniformly excellent ensemble cast playing the Wu family also render their characters’ subtle changes in attitude all the more unwatchable.
Image: A protest for LGBTQ+ rights in Hong Kong
All Shall Be Well is a poignant reminder of the struggles faced by the LGBTQ+ community in Hong Kong, and the importance of recognizing their rights. As Yeung so eloquently puts it, there are no bad people in his world, only those with wildly different perspectives. The Wu’s may be politely ruining Angie’s life, but they are only doing so because of how badly they’re struggling with their own financial situations.
Image: A scene from the Hong Kong Film Festival
All Shall Be Well is a must-watch for anyone who cares about the LGBTQ+ community and the struggles they face. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of recognizing their rights and fighting for a more inclusive society.
