Light Pillar (HKAFF)
寒夜燈柱 (HKAFF)
- Released
- 06 Oct 2026
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Original title
- 寒夜灯柱
- Language
- zh
The verdict
There are not yet enough audience votes to give this a reliable score. It is not currently playing in Hong Kong cinemas. 90 minutes.
What it is about
In the near future, movies have long since become outdated. Lao Zha is a janitor at a film studio for 20 years, living only with an abandoned cat "actor". When the studio is closing down, the boss can no longer afford his salary and gives him a VR headset instead. Lao Zha, now jobless, unexpectedly enters a whole new world of virtual reality. The dazzling digital world is more alluring than the cold, harsh reality. Animation director Xu Zao makes a stunning debut, capturing the anxiety and emptiness of urban life.
Berlin International Film Festival
What to expect
A janitor who has spent twenty years at a failing movie studio is handed a VR headset instead of his final paycheck. The headset pulls him into a digital world far more seductive than the cold reality he leaves behind. This is the debut of animation director Xu Zao, and it played at the Berlin International Film Festival. The Hong Kong release is part of the HKAFF programme. It runs 90 minutes in Mandarin with English subtitles. The cast includes Dong Chengpeng and Qing Yi. The certificate has not been announced, but the themes are adult. It is not playing in IMAX or other premium formats.
Trailer
Cast
- Da Peng
-
Dong Chengpeng
Lao Zha - Qing Yi Female player
Crew
- Director Zao Xu
- Director Xu Zao
- Writer Zao Xu
- Music Xiaoshu Amy Chen
- Director of Photography Hao Jiayue
- Executive Producer Dong Chengpeng
Common questions
- How long is the movie?
- 90 minutes.
- What language is it in, and are there subtitles?
- The original language is Mandarin, and English subtitles are provided.
- Is it suitable for children?
- The certificate has not been announced, but the themes of urban loneliness and escapism are adult-oriented. It is likely not aimed at young children.
- Is it showing in IMAX?
- No, it is not playing in IMAX or any premium large format.