JOEY WU: BIRD OF PARADISE (2026) - NYAFF

A Hong Kong wife finds liberation through pole dancing

This feature-directing debut focuses on Mrs. Yeung (Catherine Chau), a devoted housewife whose priorities have always been her husband and son, until she discovers a whole new world through pole dancing. Catherine Chau, Peter Chan Charm-Man and Elaine Jin lead the cast. I did not know that pole dancing was as big a deal as aerobics used to be, and how athletic it is and inspiring of loyalty. The project is backed by Hong Kong Film Development Council’s First Feature Film Initiative funding programme. Hong Kong director Wu has worked as an art specialist in advertising, while producer Saville Chan’s credits include The Way We Dance and A Light Never Goes Out. This film stars Catherine Chau, Elaine Jijn, Peter Chan Charm Man, Thaimay and Jayden Cheung, with pole dancing cinematography by Hok-Lun Chan. It seems at times a totally silly story, but you'll never get to see more pole dancing. It's kind of like flying - or is when you're doing it right.

The action may seem increasingly repetitious in its constant returns to the studios full of poles and the dancers-students swinging around on them, with the one hunky young male one who, though off to one side, could not but be eye-catching (yet never made relevant or giving a line to speak). But we learn how physical and demanding this discipline is, so it's borderline convincing that Mrs. Yeung would find not only confidence but eventually the conditioning to outrun her young son through this activity, as one sequence demonstrates.

A welcome Hong Kong note of sophistication is provided by the worldly mother of Mrs. Yeung played by veteran Hong Kong actress Elaine Jin, who is marvelous though given far too few lines. The usually excellent Peter Chan Charm-Man is stuck with a stereotyped macho husband role here whose few lines offer little nuance.

Bird of Paradise, 95 mins., premiered locally at Shanghai Jun. 13, 2026. It was advance-screened for its international premiere in the NYAFF. Showtime:
Sun, July 19
12:00 PM
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©Chris Knipp. Blog: http://chrisknipp.blogspot.com/.