sunset singers (2022)

Sunset Singers (2022) is a 10-min animated short film, based on documented materials obtained in Hong Kong 2019 when the Anti-extradition protests took place. There are two filming locations - concert venues where retiree performed singing, and protest venues. A soundtrack was composed with live-recordings, which is paired with visuals from hand-drawn 2D and 3D animation, as well as documented and archive live-action footage. Sunset Singers is my graduation project at the KHM.

The retired Hong Kong couple, Long and Sophie, as amateur singers, attend their singing performance separately. Despite social unrest, their performance sets off as usual. While Sophie arrives early at the venue and gets herself prepared, Long is caught up in the subway by an unexpected circumstance. Employing both animation and documented materials obtained during the Anti-extradition Protests 2019, Sunset Singers presents a fictional commentary on the parallel lives of Hong Kong’s individuals.




Direction, script, animation: Jessica Poon

3D animation: Jiha Jeon

2D animation: Dian Liang /Sangeun Song/ Jane Kim/ Bela Bulgakova/ Eunjin Park/ Qimeng Sun

Effects animation: Daniele Piscitello/ Sylwia Szkiladz

Additional vis-dev: Sylwia Szkiladz/ Zilai Feng

Text design: Dian Liang/ Jessica Poon

Music: Siu-tung Poon/ Motoi/ Eric Yau

Sound design: Hui-Cheng Chung/ Lan-Ting Hsu

Production: Jessica Poon/ KHM

Supported by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW

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For this project, four songs reminiscent of the Cantopop of the 80s were composed by the team. Some of the songs are featured in the film. A couple of sunset singers were invited to record the songs with us. You can find the complete songlist uploaded by our records label, Sing Ping Entertainment, on youtube.

Docu-animation/10’40”/KHM

Language: Cantonese

Subtitles: English

Techniques:  
2D & 3D computer animation, documented live-action and sound, found documented footage  



find more about sunset singers ♫ ☻ ♥

︎︎︎soundtracks ︎

︎︎︎documented footage ︎




Awards:

2022 German Short Film Award - Nomination

2022 Filmzeit - Musikfilmzeit im Immenstadt - Special Mention


Festivals:

2022

International Short Film Festival Detmold - Official Selection

International Animation Film Festival Nikozi - Official Screening

RISING OF LUSITANIA AnimaDoc Film Festival - Panorama

Festival International du Court Métrage de Lille - Official Selection

Festival of Animation Berlin (FAB) - Panorama

Filmzeit - Musikfilmzeit im Immenstadt - Special Mention

International Short Film Festival BRNO16 - Official Selection

KFFK Short Film Festival Cologne - Official Selection

Blicke Filmfestival des Ruhrgebiets - Official Selection

Animators Guild India Fest - Finalist

Animasivo - Official Selection

International Moving Film Festival - Finalist

2023

IAWRT Asian Women’s Film Festival - Official Selection

Kaboom Animation Festival - Official Selection


Screenings:

2022 Bundeskunsthalle Bonn - Open-Air-Kino Kurzfilmnacht

2022 Kurzfilmtag Hamburg


Exhibitions:

March 16 - April 2, 2023  XXVIe Rencontres Internationales Traverse, Variabilités en échos, Toulouse