Comrades, Almost a Love Story

Widely recognised as Peter Chan’s best work, Comrades, Almost a Love Story (1996) is one of the most beloved and acclaimed classics of contemporary Hong Kong cinema, winning multiple awards and nominations on its original release and frequently being included in critic’s lists of the best Chinese language films of all-time. Featuring Maggie Cheung and Leon Lai on iconic form, the film’s title comes from the Tian Mi Mi by singer Teresa Teng, whose songs feature throughout.

In a story spanning the decade between 1986 and 1996, two Chinese Mainlanders who migrate to Hong Kong are brought together first by comradeship and then by love. Naïve northerner Jun (Leon Lai) hopes to be able to earn enough money to marry his girlfriend back home, while streetwise Qiao (Maggie Cheung), Cantonese speaker from Guangzhou runs scams to takes advantage of fellow Mainlanders. Alone in the big city, the two embark on a passionate affair, though harsh realities threaten to tear them apart.