Course:ASIA325/2023/July Rhapsody

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Complexities, Parallels and Identity: July Rhapsody

Group Members' Contributions

  • Title: WY
  • Introduction: CL
  • Stories Behind the Film: CL
  • Histories of the Film's Reception: CL
  • Scholarly Literature Review: YF
  • Comparative Analysis: HK
  • Alternative Interpretation: WY
  • Conclusion: HK

Introduction

July Rhapsody Poster

July Rhapsody (Chinese: 男人四十, Jyutping: Naam4 Yan2 Sei3 Sap6), directed by Ann Hui (Chinese: 許鞍華), and written by Ivy Ho (Chinese: 岸西), is a Hong Kong drama film[1]. The film is co-produced by Ann Hui and Derek Yee (Chinese: 爾冬陞), starring Hong Kong pop star Jacky Cheung (Chinese: 張學友), Anita Mui (Chinese: 梅艷芳), and Karena Lam (Chinese: 林嘉欣)[1]. July Rhapsody was first premiered in Hong Kong on 14 March 2002, and later in Taiwan on 23 November 2002[1].

The story narrates a Chinese secondary school teacher, Lam Yiu-kwok (Jacky Cheung), who lives in a standard apartment in Hong Kong with his married wife, Chan Man-ching (Anita Mui), and their two sons. His first son (Eric Kot) is not his, but is his wife and their former teacher, Mr. Seng’s children. During his young age, Lam Yiu-kwok was known to be top of his class, with high expectations from teachers and classmates. However, now aged 40, he is left feeling bitter seeing his classmates all living thriving, prosperous lives. His embittered self meets his student Woo Choi-lam (Karena Lam) who highly admires and falls in love with him. Lam Yiu-kwok’s originally ordinary but content life is met with pressure from his student’s seduction, and marriage problems with his wife who began to take care of Mr. Seng. Facing societal pressure, student seduction, and marriage problems with his wife, the film depicts the reality of a man's mid-life crisis[2].

The following sections will first describe the background of the film and film production, then provide insight on the film’s reception and public reviews towards the film. It will further provide an overview of various studies, from Gina Marchetti, Louis Lo, and Sarah Perks, highlighting the recurring theme of feminism, social realities, and political realities of Hong Kong. While the film was analyzed through varied lenses, Ann Hui is highly recognized for her distinctive perspective and storytelling ability to display social realities. The review then compares the filming techniques used in Ann Hui’s film, July Rhapsody (2002), with Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love (2002). A final alternative interpretation of the movie showcases our argument regarding how the movie also considers the male perspective as well, and how both female characters are compromising their beliefs, although to varying extents.

Stories Behind the Film

Title:

The Chinese title of July Rhapsody directly translated as Man Forty, acts as a sequel to Ann’ Hui’s earlier award-winning film, Woman Forty (女人四十, Summer Snow)[3]. Both films center around the theme of mid-life crisis, and family dynamic conflicts. However, July Rhapsody does not act as a continuation of the plot from the film, Summer Snow[3]. The English title, July Rhapsody, is uniquely selected as “July” is the month situated in the center of a year, between spring and autumn[4].


Lead Actors:

Jacky Cheung and Anita Mui

Both Jacky Cheung and Anita Mui were Hong Kong’s most iconic pop stars during the 1980s and 1990s, who made large contributions to Cantopop[5]. At the time the film was shot, Jacky Cheung was exactly forty years old, matching the title of the Man Forty[6]. July Rhapsody is Anita’s Mui’s final film appearance before her tragic death due to cervical cancer in 2003[5]. The film is also Karena Lam’s first film appearance[5]. Jacky Cheung won Best Actor for the 50th International Film Festival of India[1]. Anita Mui won Best Actress for the 6th Changchun Film Festival and 2nd Chinese Film Media Awards[1]. Karena Lam won Best Supporting Actress for the 21st Hong Kong Film Awards, 39th Golden Horse Awards, and 6th Golden Bauhinia Award. She also won Best New Performer for the 21st Hong Kong Film Awards, and 39th Golden Horse Awards[1]. The film uniquely marked Anita Mui’ last appearance and Karena Lam’s first appearance.


Film Soundtrack:

The film’s soundtrack is one of the most iconic duet Cantopop song, 《相爱很难》by Jacky Cheung and Anita Mui, the movie’s main cast[2]. The song is written by Chan Fai-young and Albert Leung[7]. The song was first included in Anita Mui’s Cantonese Album 《With》on 16 March 2002, then later included in Jacky Cheung’s Mandarin Album 《他在那里》on 30 October 2002[7]. The title of the song is translated to English as it is difficult to fall in love, and highlights themes on the difficulty of love and marriage[8].


Allusions:

Chinese poetry is repetitively embedded in various scenes of the film. Poetry including Li Bai’s 《黃鶴樓送孟浩然之廣陵》, Su Shi’s 《念奴嬌》and 《前赤壁賦》all allude to the Yangtze River[9]. The ending of the film further depicts scenes of the Three Gorges along the Yangtze River[2]. The imminent disappearance of the Three Gorges acts as a metaphor of one’s acceptance and helplessness to their past youth, and the vanishing traditional Chinese culture[9].

Histories of the Film’s Reception

Nomination and Awards:

July Rhapsody is generally highly acclaimed for its artistic skills and introspective plot. It received 30 nominations for various awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, etc[1]. The film won Top Ten Chinese-language films in the 6th Golden Bauhinia Award and Ivy Ho won Best Screenplay for the 21st Hong Kong Film Awards and 39th Golden Horse Award[1].

General Audience:

The film is ranked 7.1/10 in IMDb, and 85% in Rotten Tomatoes[10][11]. The general audience admires Ann Hui’s perspective and techniques to realistically portray the ordinary life of Hong Kong[10]. Various reviews acclaim the introspective depth of the plot, providing insight on social, political, familial, and personal issues[11]. Some audiences further compliment on the rare interweaving of Chinese poetry through the film[10]. However, there were slight criticisms to the eccentric plot of the film, and confusion of the paralleled storyline between Chan Man-ching and Mr. Seng, and Lam Yiu-kwok and Woo Choi-lam[10]. High compliments were given to Jacky Cheung, Anita Mui, and Karena Lam’s dramatic performance[10][11].


In the Chinese-speaking audience, the film is ranked 8.1/10 in Douban (Chinese: 豆瓣)[12]. Similar to the Eastern audience, many highly acclaimed the film’s plot and its introspective insight of social, familial, and personal problems[12]. Many highly admire Jacky Cheung and Anita’s Mui affecting performance, especially the crying scene towards the end of the film[12]. However, there were few criticisms to the blandness of the plot, claiming it to be too “artistic” for the general audience[12]. Others believe that the movie displayed morally incorrect values through the two teacher-student relationship[12]. Some audiences, similar to criticisms from the West, thought the film was disorganized and difficult to comprehend its deeper meanings. Many audiences also remark the distinction between a female’s mid-life crisis and a man's mid-life crisis as depicted through Ann Hui’s respective films, Summer Snow and July Rhapsody[12]. A women’s mid-life crisis is faced with societal and familial dynamic conflicts, while a men’s mid-life crisis typically surrounds the topic of an affair[12].


Possible Reason for Discrepant Receptions:

While the film received high compliments for its artistic techniques, introspective plot, and dramatic performance, there were few criticisms towards the plot. However, the voices of compliments and criticisms from the Chinese-speaking audience and English-speaking audience were fairly similar. Comments from the Chinese-speaking audience further criticize the overdone “artistic” effects and elements throughout the film, while the English-speaking audience accentuate the dull, tediousness of the plot[12].

Scholarly Literature Review

Ann Hui is a well-known female director in Hong Kong, who has created many classic films and has been nominated for and won many film awards. Many scholars believe that her portrayal and presentation of female characters in films are unique and delicate. In her later representative work, "July Rhapsody 男人四十" (2002), although the Chinese title is related to male, the focus of the plot is more on the two women in Yiu-Kwok's life. The key contrast between the two represents two very different female personalities in Hong Kong, cleverly presenting the differences and changes in ideas between two generations of women[13].

In Gina Marchetti's scholar review, she believes that the director showcases a key concept that has consistently appeared in her works - finding personal identity within the increasingly complex identity of being a Hong Kong citizen[13]. The experiences of the two female protagonists from different eras coincide in that they both had affairs with their teacher during their student days. Through Lam's perspective, the audience sees how Man-Ching, who is already a wife, and the teenage Choy-Lam make different choices and face different outcomes regarding the same matter. Same gender, different ideas, living in different times. Man-Ching chooses to retreat and compromise, accepting the fact of her Taiwanese teacher's irresponsibility and her husband's midlife affair, while Choy-Lam, a young student, embraces new experiences and chooses to leave Yiu-Kwok and pursue her career as a single woman, seizing opportunities. These two different women are closely linked to the male protagonist in the film. Through the clever setting of the infidelity plot, the director showcases their different personalities and charisma, making the audience aware of the importance and uniqueness of female characters in society. Both female characters "find themselves" at the end of the film: one chooses to start a new life, while the other chooses to make a decision with her husband after watching the Three Gorges, but the possibility of compromise is still high. The ending leaves enough room for speculation. One is a housewife who has experienced the pre- and post-handover periods and made sacrifices for her family, while the other is a young girl with advanced thinking in the post-handover era. Although they have never met or talked, the similarity of their experiences and the changes in the times have deepened the generation gap between the two.

In Louis Lo's scholar review, the author presents his viewpoint from the background setting of the film, arguing that the depiction of the city and family in the film is related to the political influence in reality. Therefore, he argues that July Rhapsody, as a film born after the handover, shows the director's continuing concerns about life in Hong Kong[14]. Unlike the previous article, Lo analyzes the film from the perspective of male characters, how Yiu-Kwok is tempted and ends up having an unexpected relationship with his student. The true identity of the eldest son, On-yin, is revealed in a series of intertwined plots, and the audience learns about his identity from different perspectives of his father and mother. The family of four in the film lives in an ordinary middle-class apartment. Starting from a conversation between father and son, the middle plot is inserted and the timeline is blurred and even chaotic, which fits On-yin's acceptance and psychological changes about his identity and also the living status of Hong Kong people at that time. In the middle and later parts of the film, when On-yin listens to the story of his own identity, the story of the young woman Choy-Lam is also presented as a parallel montage[14]. The two younger generations are wonderfully connected here, facing important moments in life. Choy-Lam knows her desire clearly and leaves and ends the relationship, while On-yin forgives and lets go of everything as he looks at the handwritten letter from his non-biological father. Lo also believes that the ending of the characters is open-ended, leaving it up to the audience to judge and appreciate. The author describes July Rhapsody as ordinary, and Ann Hui's portrayal of Hong Kong and local life is different from that of contemporaries like Wong Kar-wai. It is more realistic and closer to the audience, and continues to provoke deep thinking about the way of life in Hong Kong after the handover.

In Sarah Perks' scholar review, she focused on the female director Ann Hui and discussed the distinctive styles of representative female producers in Hong Kong film history. The author believes that various factors have contributed to Hong Kong's film industry becoming a fast-paced, diverse, multilingual, and flexible industry known for innovation but always under commercial rules[15]. Using the example of the film July Rhapsody, the author believes that it is a very good combination of "commercial and artistic" elements with depth because it explores the different ideas of two generations of women and the increasingly close ties and rapid changes between Mainland China and Hong Kong. It also fits the current trend, with the film's two main characters being Cantopop celebrities of the millennium, Jacky Cheung and Anita Mui. More than that, before July Rhapsody, Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love (2000) had already laid the foundation for nostalgic and descriptive films about Hong Kong life, also strongly demonstrating "Wong Kar-wai's style". Meanwhile, Ann Hui proceeded at her own pace, making July Rhapsody a social work that presented realism[15]. The article also mentioned Mabel Cheung, the director of "An Autumn's Tale", and other female directors with representative works. In the latter part of the article, the author emphasized the malice of society towards female directors and their recognized strength. The review argues that these versatile directors can shoot various styles of films at the right time, and female producers have unique insights and requirements for their works, creating independent and unique spaces for audiences in this multicultural city of Hong Kong. According to previous information, July Rhapsody would not have won important awards after its release in 2002 without the refinement of Ann Hui, a female director known for her delicacy.

The analysis of July Rhapsody has much more to offer, but here we have selected the most representative three peer reviews. It is not difficult to see that scholars highly appreciate Ann Hui's high-level performance and the importance of the details behind the film. As an outstanding female director, Ann Hui uses her unique perspective and precise grasp of camera storytelling to showcase the lives and thoughts of two female characters in different positions before and after Hong Kong's handover through two repeated extramarital affairs in July Rhapsody.

Comparative Analysis

Man-Ching gives birth to her son (July Rhapsody, 2002)

In Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love (2000) and July Rhapsody (2002) by Ann Hui, the directors use intricate filming techniques to analyze the theme of love affairs between two married couples. To a deeper extent, they explore the idea of relationship struggles and challenged loyalty. In the first film, Chow Mo-wan and Mrs. Chan find out that both of their significant others are cheating on them. This leads to them spending lots of time together seeing as though they are always left at home. In the latter film, high school teacher Lam Yiu-Kwok and his wife Man-Ching both recall the story of their son's birth and the relationships acquired along the way. The relationship between Man-Ching and her former teacher is problematic because it resulted in her son's birth which was unknown to the old man, meanwhile Yiu-Kwok entertains the fact that one of his best students has a crush on him. While both sets of couples are ultimately in the wrong, their journeys are followed with both similarities and differences showing parallels between the two movies.

In July Rhapsody (2002), Ann Hui utilizes montages and transitional cuts between the storytelling aspects of Yiu-Kwok and Man-Ching. The entirety of the film is shot in such a way that shows both sides of their relationship throughout her affair up until the present day where the teacher she once had a relationship with is a dying old man. Near the end of the movie, their son asks Man-Ching for details regarding her relationship with her former lover. After a montage of short insert and action shots of the hospital, she says, “He asked if I was afraid. Our family started on that day,” (1:10:15). The clips of the hospital were shot with a hand-held camera which is made obvious by the frantic movement and intentional rushed feeling of the scene. This rushedness can be attributed to the fact that their affair felt panicked and hasty because of the irresponsibility of it all, considering he had a wife and she was his student.

Mrs. Chan helps Mr. Chow write (In the Mood for Love, 2000)

This scene had a similar feeling to the fast pace and often panicked rendezvous in the affair between Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow as she rushed through his apartment complex. There is a scene where Mrs. Chan goes to visit Mr. Chow at his place and ends up running frantically up and down the stairs and the hallways. The camera is also handheld as it follows Mrs. Chan. These shots are notably short but are seemingly more of match-on-action than insert shots. While both scenes are filmed with the same technique to portray a panicked effect, the actual use of a montage is different. Mrs. Chan is the only focus of the scene where she’s running around because in In a Mood for Love, Wong Kar-Wai chooses to keep the significant other's physical appearance of the betrothed anonymous. By cutting between clips of just her, it shows that the affair between her and Mr. Chow is solely between the two of them. In July Rhapsody, the fact that the hospital montage is woven into the conversation between Man-Ching and her son, shows how many people her affair affected even into the future. In this sense, the two films show the effects of the affairs on supporting characters by using different camera movements and editing tactics.

Yiu-Kwok and Man-Ching embrace amidst feelings of guilt (July Rhapsody, 2002)

Music plays periodically throughout both films and could be considered non-diegetic implications of how the couples feel about each other despite being unloyal. Although a lot of the film focuses on Man-Ching’s former relationship with her teacher, her husband entertains the idea of being interested in one of his best students, Choy-Lam. They both indulged in a large amount of alcohol, questionably inhibiting his ability to recognize that her head was on his shoulder which led to them cuddling on the club couch. After their night out, he walks her home and watches from a distance as she enters the house (1:21:00). As he gazes at her, he can be seen breathing significantly heavier in a medium slightly angled shot as if to show his confusion as to why he feels romantically for her. Almost simultaneously, a soft and light piano piece consisting of mainly higher notes started playing as the camera cuts to a panning shot of Man-Ching awaiting her husband's arrival back home. It slowly pans to the plate of food she had made for him and eventually tracks her walking into her children’s room. The camera follows her into their bedroom as the piano keys become more ominous and play a sequence that sounds solemn and regretful. All of this is happening while her husband returns with Choy-Lam, which shows their contrasting lives at that very moment. In terms of their unfaithfulness to each other, the same can be said for the implementation of music during In the Mood for Love when “Yumeji’s Theme” plays. In Lewis Brindle’s article, “A Deeper Understanding: In the Mood For Love and ‘Yumeji’s Theme’”, he writes that when it plays, “Each pluck of a string starts to sound like a taunt, whether that be from their unfaithful partners, or from their own minds as they question whether they too are in the wrong. When Su and Chow start to develop an affection for one another but refuse to act on them until it is too late, the harrowing violin – that at first sounded like such a juxtaposition – perfectly encapsulates the harsh truth that this story isn’t going to have a happy ending,” (2019). The analysis of the instruments and how they strategically accompany certain scenes is evidence of the affair being portrayed through the string instruments as doomed from the start. There is a use of instrumental pieces in both films, but they are played during different times of unfaithfulness. When “Yumeji’s Theme” plays, it is to highlight the relationship that both Mrs. Chan and Mr. Chow has given in to; they are both slipping into infidelity. As a concept in both films, there is an important distinction made regarding who is responsible in the affairs by both directors in contrasting ways.

Mrs. Chan solemnly peers out the window to Mr. Chow's former residence (In the Mood for Love, 2000)

At the end of both movies, the characters involved in adultrine acts show emotions of regret as well as reminiscing about the past. In July Rhapsody (2002), the end is Man-Ching and Yiu-Kwok hugging as she sobs in his arms. He states that, “The mortgage is settled. When I have time, I can come home to see the kids,” (1:38:11). This implies that despite the rough patches in their marriage, they are going to ultimately figure something out. In In the Mood For Love (2000), both Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan visits the apartments they used to live in after the time period of the movie jumps several years into the future. She immediately starts to tear up when she looks out the window to the apartment next door. She goes on to say that she misses it and eventually buys the property. This was an indirect way for Wong Kar-Wai to show  that she regrets the affair while also missing her and Mr. Chow’s relationship. The close up shot of her from outside of the room was as if to show the view from his side. The distance between the two buildings and the fact that they can’t quite reach each other, only peer out of the window, represents the way that they could never attain each other's full love and commitment because they are both married and ultimately do not end up together.

Both films use the female characters crying to emphasize the ultimate sacrifices made in the affairs and the effects they had on the characters' love for one another. While Man-Ching cried because of the overwhelming guilt of the fact that her son is not her husbands, Mrs. Chan reminisces on memories of the past. The acting in these scenes conveys the pain from the affairs even though in both films, the cheating was mutual; all four of the characters that were married experienced unfaithfulness towards their significant other at some point in time. Through perspective shots and close ups of their crying faces, the guilt and sadness was conveyed through the screen.

Alternative Interpretation

From our analysis of July Rhapsody from our perspective, as well as other scholars who studied the movie, there seems to be a conclusion that the movie seemingly focuses on comparing two generations of females, both of which are involved with the central character, Yiu Kwok. Furthermore, the movie not only compares two generations of women but also the director’s concerns about life in the city following the Handover of Hong Kong in 1997. Our group argues that there is another interpretation to be taken from the central plot of the movie; we argue that the movie takes a perspective of understanding how a man can break free from his midlife crisis, in a sense that his midlife struggle, is in fact, a way of finding out for himself about his true identity, and from this discovery of self, grow in a city that is flourishing with opportunity following the Handover back to China. We also further argue that the women are both similar as they both have a sense of compromise, although the degree of compromise is what sets them apart from one another.

Yiu Kwok in deep contemplation while looking over the skyline of Hong Kong (July Rhapsody, 2002)

At the scene at 1:02:10, we have a scene where Yiu Kwok approaches the edge of a glass balcony that oversees the Victoria Skyline in Hong Kong. At first, Yiu Kwok is standing up right, tall and proud as he approaches the edge, as he gets to the edge, he hunches over and looks down. He then looks up, and outwards into the distance, and the camera cuts to a low angle of shot of Yiu Kwok's back and the clear blue sky. During this whole scene, Yiu Kwok’s face is in a bit of a wrinkle, a scowl in which we see deep contemplation. We can interpret this as Yiu Kwok coming to a crossroad in his life, he approaches the edge of his comfort zone in which he has been living in with his ordinary family of four. His hunch over the edge is him contemplating about exiting his comfort zone, as we can infer with his illicit relationship with Choy Lam, he is searching for something new, something that gives him purpose once again. In conjunction with the dialogue that is playing in the background where his younger son is reciting a proverb that talks about a solitary journey, this scene presents the idea that Yiu-Kwok is at a part of his life where he himself must look in the mirror in order to understand and free himself from his struggle. The cut to the low angle shot of Yiu Kwok’s back is the idea that Yiu Kwok faces a life of many possibilities, and it is up to him whether or not he will embrace the possible prosperity he may have in a city full of opportunities. While there are scholarly discussions about finding one’s identity in a complex city with a complex collective identity, most of these are considered through the lens of the two women in the plot, whereas we argue that, in the man’s perspective, a similar yet also contrasting argument is made.

Choy Lam and Yiu Kwok discuss the reasons for explanations (July Rhapsody, 2002)

At 1:23:41, we have the scene of Choy Lam and Yiu Kwok on the train, where they are facing each other, near the window seats. Their discussions are regarding their futures, and why there is such a need for discussions and explanations in life. As noted above, Marchetti argues that Choy Lam is not compromising her beliefs and embracing opportunities for herself, while Man Ching is compromising, we believe that is is possible to argue that Choy Lam is actually compromising her feelings, as she clearly states she likes Yiu Kwok, but instead focuses on finding herself in other ways, as she decides to leave him.[13] Leaving him then implies that she is unwilling to discover that side of her attraction to him more, and that she isn’t willing to understand what it is about Yiu Kwok that makes him so attractive to her, and in a sense, she is unwilling to discover what she is attracted to. This is especially so as she states that, “whatever she wants, she is able to get”, while she is not able to get Yiu Kwok in a romantic relationship, she decides to leave instead. While this does imply that Choy Lam is discovering herself, which would echo Marchetti’s sentiments, it does not mean that she is uncompromising in her self-discovery, as she gives up pursuing what her heart feels about Yiu Kwok.

While scholars may focus on the perspective of women and the distinct selves that they are developing at the tail end of the movie, we believe there is a perspective in  that both women are alike in the sense that they are compromising some of their desires, however, the difference between the two is the sense of compromise as we see that Man Ching compromises more so than that of Choy Lam. Not only are the women on a route of self-discovery, but also the Yiu Kwok himself, as he faces an identity crisis after so many years of stability. The background of concern can also be seen as a window of opportunity, in order to take risks, following the Handover of Hong Kong.

Conclusion

There are recurring themes of unfaithfulness and the idea that the women in the film, Man-Ching and Choy-Lam, represent generational differences between Hong Kong personalities. Our group analyzed the movie in such a way that shows the factors of formal aspects in the film that Ann Hui used to emphasize the characters and their struggling relationships amidst living in the post handover time. By reading other literature reviews and comparing the film to Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love, we were able to compare and contrast as well as understand the realities of life after the handover in Hong Kong. Throughout the film, there is coverage on societal influence, teacher and student relations, marriage problems, which come together to show a man’s perspective of his personal journey navigating through a midlife crisis.

Through research and further breaking down of the film, our group grew to appreciate the art of film portrayed in the movie and how it supports the concepts Ann Hui emphasizes about life in Hong Kong during this time. The movie itself could be enjoyed and interesting primarily to those living in Hong Kong in the post handover time, as it covers the struggles through civilian life as well as the outcome of a seemingly jeopardized marital relationship.

References

</references>

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 "July Rhapsody".
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "July Rhapsody 2002 [Jacky Chueng & Anita Mui]".
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "男人四十：沉重的過去，來得真的沉重".
  4. ↑ "男人四十：意亂神迷的中年危機".
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Retrospective on Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui's classic works - "Glory Days: When Leslie Met Anita" (with photos)".
  6. ↑ "如何评价《男人四十》这部电影？".
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "相爱很难".
  8. ↑ "林夕的《相爱很难》歌词怎样解读？".
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "男人四十：意亂神迷的中年危機".
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 "July Rhapsody User Review".
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "July Rhapsody Reviews".
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 "男人四十 (2002)".
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Marchetti, Gina (2016). "Handover women: Hong Kong women filmmakers and the intergenerational melodrama of infidelity, Feminist Media Studies".
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lo, Louis (2022). "Ann Hui's Cinematics of the Ordinary: July Rhapsody 男人四十 (2002)".
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Perks, Sarah (2009). "Visible secrets: Hong Kong's women film-makers".
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