Actors Michael Hui, 82, and Dayo Wong, 64, are best known for their comedic roles, but this time, they team up in the upcoming emotional drama The Last Dance, which revolves around the funeral industry.
Set to open at cinemas in Malaysia on Nov 14, the film also stars Michelle Wai, Tommy Chu, and Catherine Chau. It is written and directed by Anselm Chan Mou Yin.
The last time Hui and Wong were in a movie together was in the 1992 film The Magic Touch.
In The Last Dance, they play opposing characters who must find a way to work together.
Wong (A Guilty Conscience, Table For Six) portrays Wai Dao Sheng, a former wedding planner turned funeral broker, while Hui (Where The Wind Blows, Godspeed) plays Master Man, a serious Taoist priest present at funerals.
To ensure the success of his funeral parlour, Dao Sheng devises various creative gimmicks, but he has no choice but to seek approval from the Taoist priest for his business to thrive.
In the press notes, Wong described The Last Dance as “a film that brings a thousand emotions; it’s not just about laughter or tears", adding that the movie left him feeling more open-hearted and philosophical.
Hui, meanwhile, praised the authenticity of the script, stating that the film will give the audience “a newfound appreciation for the meaning of life”.
To make their characters real, both actors immersed themselves in learning funeral rites, paying close attention to the details.
They even performed tasks such as bone-picking, applying makeup, and chanting for the deceased in the film.
Before its Malaysian release, The Last Dance will screen at the 21st Hong Kong Asian Film Festival and the 37th Tokyo International Film Festival in the World Focus section.
The film will have its world premiere at the upcoming Hawaii Film Festival.
'The Last Dance' movie stills
