䙚䙚  | Al Niente

故事摘要

Logline

在鋼琴手靈（Ollie）開始幫助她嚴格的姐姐敏（Amanda）照顧患腦退化症的爸爸後，她們必須面對因不同價值觀所引發的衝突。

After Ollie, a struggling pianist, takes over her type-A elder sister Amanda’s job to look after their father with dementia, the sisters must confront their values on family and responsibilities.

故事大綱

Synopsis

靈是一個崇尚自由的鋼琴表演者，她因新冠疫情無法在英國找到工作必須回到香港，與嚴格的姐姐敏一起住，並照顧患有腦退化症的父親。

爸爸不認得靈並將她誤認為是他的舊情人蘇菲，靈認為很黑色幽默，但敏卻覺得反感。這揭示了二人相反的性格和一些難以啟齒的家庭歷史。

靈意外發現音樂有助舒緩爸爸的病情。然而這引發了兩姐妹的爭執：到底與世界的聯繫、還是身體健康對爸爸更重要？ 

兩位性格南轅北轍的姊妹，面對因衝突而暴露出內心深處枷鎖，她們能否向生命中如此親密、卻又愛又恨的人坦誠自己的心聲？父親記憶與個性一點一滴的流失，她們又如何面對？

Ollie, a free-spirited dream-chaser, returns to Hong Kong after failing to find work as a pianist in the U.K. due to the covid situation. She is forced to live with her uptight perfectionist elder sister Amanda and become the primary caretaker for their father who suffers from stage 5 dementia.

Olli‘s father doesn’t recognise her and has mistaken her as his old-time mistress, Sophie. Ollie finds it darkly humorous but Amanda seems disgusted. These different reactions show the two’s opposite personalities and reveal certain unspeakable family history.

Ollie accidentally finds out that music might help slow down her father’s brain deterioration. It however triggers the two sisters’ conflict about whether the connection to the world or physical health is more important to their father.

The continuous clashes on this topic further uncover the deeply hidden grudges held by the two sisters. Facing the exposed wounds of their hearts, can the two sisters with completely different personalities be honest with each other, especially when that person is so important, so lovable yet so detestable? How would they deal with their father’s gradual loss of memory and personality?

導演闡述

Director’s Statement

《䙚䙚》對我來說是個很重要的故事 – 我公公曾經是一位著名的畫家、籃球省隊MVP、更是個豁達慈愛的人，但他被診斷出有腦退化症已經超過十年，現在他成了一位卧病在床失去自理能力的人。

 數年後，全球估計有超過七千多萬人患有腦退化症，等於七千多萬個家庭需要支援。當我發現原來音樂可以幫助腦退化症患者重新建立與周圍環境和人的聯繫時，我深受感動，想讓更多腦退化症患者家屬知道，他們仍然有希望，有機會重建與心愛的人的交流。

 我堅持加入喜劇元素，是因為照顧病者的過程中時常出現喜悅的時刻，引用我二姨（公公照顧者）的話，有機會照顧家人是一種福份，喜樂的心乃是良藥。我希望通過這部電影，照者者會得到尊重和安慰，病人會被銘記。

Al Niente is a story that is dearest to my heart because my grandpa has been one of my childhood heroes and has been diagnosed with dementia for more than 10 years. I remember how heart-breaking it was to see someone who used to be a famous painter, a basketball league MVP and an open-minded and loving grandpa, became a bedridden man who has lost the ability to take care of himself.

 When I found out that music could help dementia patients to reconnect to their surroundings, I was tremendously touched. This inspired me to create Al Niente. I wish to let more dementia patients’ families know that there is hope, considering there were 46.8 million people worldwide living with dementia in 2015 and this number will double every 20 years according to Alzheimer’s Disease International. 

 I insist on having comedic elements in this movie because the caretaking process is filled with delightful moments. I truly believe that it is one of the best testimonies of love. To quote what my aunt said, it is a blessing. A joyful heart is good medicine. I hope the movie can honour and comfort all caretakers, and hope that patients will be remembered in a delighted way.

總預算

Total Budget

US $58,930

林璐

Lo LAM

林璐是香港和洛杉磯的監製/編劇/導演。於香港大學BBA（法律）系畢業後，她在台灣製作網路敘事廣告，其中數部達到百萬點擊率。璐及後獲得南加州大學電影電視製作碩士學位，其短片包括《活著為誰》於數十個電影節展出。

Lo LAM is a producer/writer/director based in Hong Kong and Los Angeles. After graduated from BBA(Law) at the University of Hong Kong, she created over 20 YouTube narrative commercials in Taiwan, some of which reached a million views. In 2018, Lo acquired an M.F.A. in Film&TV Production at the University of Southern California. Her short films, including Who Lives My Life? were selected by dozens of film festivals. Lo strikes to demonstrate a unique voice as a female millennial.

尤奕翔

Grace YU

尤奕翔是Grand Manner的創辦人。她畢業於香港理工大學的時裝與設計專業學士學位，在香港廣告界擁有十多年的製作經驗。

Grace YU is the co-founder of Grand Manner Co., Ltd. She has over a decade’s experience as a producer in the Hong Kong advertising industry since she graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University with a B.A. in fashion & design.

陳百匯

Becky Baihui CHEN

陳百匯致力於用鏡頭捕捉最真摯的情感。她曾獲美國電影攝影師協會傳承獎提名，入選獨立電影協會多元影人計劃，亦是國際女攝影師協會成員。她的劇情及紀錄作品共在百餘個國際電影節中展映，並在Apple TV、Amazon、BET+等平台播放。

As an ASC Heritage Award Nominee, Film Independent Project Involve Cinematography Fellow and International Collective of Female Cinematographers (ICFC) Member, Becky CHEN seeks to capture the most intimate stories with her lens. Her films were screened at 100+ international film festivals, many of them are available on Apple TV, Amazon, and BET+.

影像單位 / 製作公司

Film Unit / Production Company

GRAND MANNER