Permanent Residence

Permanent Residence is a spiritually contemplative exploration of homosexuality and mortality, directed by acclaimed Hong Kong director Scud (Danny Cheng Wan-Cheung). Released in 2009, it stars Sean Li, Jackie Chow and Osman Hung in impactful lead roles.

The story revolves around Ivan (played by Sean Li), a successful IT professional and determined atheist, as he grapples with his intrinsic understanding of life, death, and identity, owing to his deeply rooted sexual orientation as a gay individual. Ivan, an existential maverick, investigates concepts of immortality from both philosophical and practical perspectives. He doesn’t believe in a higher power, instead choosing to view life through a rational and pragmatic lens, which in turn shapes his perspective towards immortality.

His quest for existential truth is paired with his romantic longing for his best friend Windson (Jackie Chow), who identifies as straight. As they navigate through the complexities of their friendship and the unspoken tension between them, the film evokes the heartfelt pain and hidden eagerness associated with unrequited love. The narrative dramatizes the plight of a gay man in love with a heterosexual male, presenting viewers with an intimate portrayal of yearning that transcends the realms of sexuality and friendship.

Osman Hung delivers a genuinely convincing performance as Josh, a filmmaker who is working with Ivan on a silly yet somewhat autobiographical film about the concept of immortality. His character parallels the main story, sketching a parable within the film, further deepening its reach into philosophical territory. We witness the interaction between the characters that brings out deeper conversations about the essence of life, death, sexuality, and love.

Permanent Residence, with its intricate layering of narrative and symbolism, explores the eternal in conjunction with a homosexual undercurrent. The movie dives into the subject of death and what it means to live forever without preaching definite answers, rather providing a gateway into more profound engagement with these themes. It challenges the boundaries of traditional narrative approaches to death, immortality, and homosexual love, and blurs them to form a delicate emotional tapestry.

The film does not shy away from showcasing explicit gay love scenes, offering a detailed attraction that grows between two men. Director Scud’s dedicated camerawork presents an authentic representation of attraction and desire, blending it harmoniously into the grander theme of permanence and the pursuing nature of love.

The Hong Kong setting gives the film an authentic backdrop against which the characters live out their complicated lives. The city becomes an essential character in itself, mirroring the emotional struggle and the search for identity that the characters undergo.

The film uses the concept of "permanent residence," commonly known in Hong Kong to define a legal status that represents freedom and stability, as an underlying theme to explore another kind of permanence – that of eternal life. Scud melds these parallel concepts together in an exceptional effort to produce a visually stunning and thought-provoking masterpiece.

Permanent Residence explores its themes with a melancholic and reflective tone, leaving viewers to contemplate the nature of life, love, and the human condition. Despite its explicit portrayal of sexual orientation, it represents an emotional journey that transcends gender boundaries, drawing all viewers into its sphere of influence. Ultimately, the film questions the limitations of life and love and seeks to express life's transcendence beyond the human concept of time.

In conclusion, Permanent Residence is an intellectually stimulating cinematic experience that delves into understanding homosexuality, unrequited love, and human mortality, while dreamily contemplating the concept of immortality. It's a film that bears the hallmark of Scud's uncompromising originality and audacious defiance of conventional norms and expectations, making it a significant LGBTQ+ movie and an essential watch for those looking to enhance their understanding of diverse emotional experiences.