When death creates a hole in your life, you will find what or whoever you can to fill it- even if they aren’t the perfect fit. In Blue Sun Palace, the loss of Didi, lover to Cheung and friend to Amy, leaves her two nearest and dearest clutching at straws and each other, as they try to navigate life without her.
Set amongst the Chinese community in Queens, New York City, the film shows a little-seen side of the city and, unfortunately, this insight is the most interesting part of the film.
Firstly, the film gives you 20 minutes to create a bond with Didi before killing her off- which is fine. However, immediately after this event, we get the title card. The main body of the film starts, and we are left with two characters who the audience has not established a bond with. The following hours of film are spent trying- and failing- to have a deeper than surfer-level care for Cheung and Amy.
What the film does do during this time is look beautiful. The camera peaks behind curtains and the sunlight oozes in small and large windows; the film has an almost fly-on-the-wall approach that gives the film an intimacy. However, without creating a bond with the characters, this intimacy is not sustainable. A new shot dazzles you for a few moments before the feeling fizzles out as, ultimately, you are bored again.
Didi, played by Haipeng Xu, was wonderfully enchanting. To haunt the narrative the way she does, she must captivate you in her 20-something minutes of screen time- and she does. The rest of the cast also performed well, and the direction given by Constance Tsang helps the natural, dingy atmosphere of the film shine through.
Blue Sun Palace is a film with lots of beauty and a fascinating premise. It’s truly a shame that it falls just short of the mark. With some better chemistry between the cast and between the characters and the audience, Blue Sun Palace could’ve been a highlight of the Festival.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival runs from August 15-21. Tickets and showings are available here. Brig’s coverage of the film festival can be found here.
Feature image credit: NOUR FILMS
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