Hong Kong’s box office record-breaker The Last Dance will represent the city in running for the best international feature film at the 98th Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, next March.
The Federation of Motion Film Producers of Hong Kong on Thursday said the selection was made according to the criteria set by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
To qualify for the Academy’s international feature film category, a movie must be over 40 minutes, produced outside the US, with more than half of its dialogue in a language other than English.
It must also have had its first theatrical release in its country of origin between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025, and screened for at least seven consecutive days.
Starring Hong Kong comedians Michael Hui Kwun-man and Dayo Wong Tze-wah and set against the backdrop of the funeral industry, The Last Dance delivers a powerful message of respecting the departed while caring for the living.
The film’s Chinese title, literally translated as “breaking hell’s gate”, refers to a Taoist ritual performed at Chinese funerals.
