Hu-Du-Men

Lang Kim-sum is a celebrated performer in Cantonese opera, respected by colleagues and friends and approaching the end of her career. In this tradition, the line between backstage and stage is known as the Hu-du-men, a boundary that, once crossed, means leaving yourself behind to become the character. Lang knows that crossing it is a point of no return, in performance and in life alike. As she prepares to retire, she finds herself facing fresh and unanticipated boundaries of the same kind, in both her household and her working life.

The film was directed by Shu Kei from a screenplay by Raymond To Kwok-Wai, and produced by Clifton Ko Chi-Sum for Ko Chi Sum Films and Golden Harvest Productions. Josephine Siao Fong-Fong plays Lang, heading a cast that also includes Anita Yuen, Waise Lee Chi-Hung, Chung King-Fai, Daniel Chan Hiu-Tung and Lee Heung-Kam. Made in Hong Kong and running 87 minutes, it mixes comedy and drama, and it was released in April 1996.

On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.1 from 251 votes, while on TMDB its average is 5.1 from a much smaller sample of 9 votes. The difference reflects the far larger number of viewers behind the IMDb figure rather than any settled critical verdict.