Hong Kong Festival 2010 Presents: Love in a Puff

Love in a Puff (traditional Chinese: 志明與春嬌) is a 2010 Hong Kong romantic comedy directed by Pang Ho-cheung and starring Shawn Yue and Miriam Yeung. The plot revolves around the love story of Cherie and Jimmy, two smokers who met at an outdoor smoking area subsequent to the ban of all indoor smoking areas in Hong Kong. The film is classified as a category 3 film in Hong Kong.

Love in a Puff is one of the films which premiered in the 2010 Hong Kong International Film Festival.

Since 2007, the Hong Kong government banned smoking in all indoor areas, causing smokers from neighboring buildings to gather for cigarette breaks during office hours at trash bins with ashtrays near their work premises. The regulars started sharing small talks and dirty jokes like friends at a hot pot dinner and this community became known as the "Hot Pot Pack".

Jimmy (Yue) is an advertising executive who befriended Cherie (Yeung), a cosmetic sales girl, at a "Hot Pot Pack" shortly after Jimmy broke up with his girlfriend who cheated on him. Cherie's flirting with Jimmy during their cigarette breaks, through text messages and excursions at night eventually led to Cherie's break up with her lived-in boyfriend. This sudden change in their relationship, including a failed one night stand at a love motel caused them to cope with the change in their relationship and whether they are viewing each other as love interests or just a companion during lonely nights.

Review by Michael Quartly-Kelly, 3News.co.nz:
"A light and pleasant way to end the first day’s festival slog. Set in his native Hong Kong during heavy anti-smoking reform, Pang Ho-cheung’s first film up in this year’s fest is a small scale relationship drama that plays out over only a few days, with almost every dialogue occurring between characters who have just stepped out for a quick cigarette break. The 20-something cast are led by the capable and charming Miriam Yeung (Dumplings) and Shawn Yue (Infernal Affairs Trilogy) as the will-they/wont-they couple in this small scale drama.

"The film is not short of humour, served by a rambunctious group of smoking companions, with their own stories and foibles, which helps pad out and relieve some of the usual relationship tensions. Not a life-changer, but a nice film and one that makes me look forward to the director’s next film in the festival – Dream Home."
- http://www.3news.co.nz/Film3-NZ-Film-Festival-diary-12-July-2010/tabid/418/articleID/165404/Default.aspx

For more information visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_in_a_Puff.

For sessions time and pricing visit www.rialto.co.nz.

Event listed by Bevan Chuang

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