5 must-watch highlights at the 55th Hong Kong French Film Festival

This fast-paced comedy puts a delightfully wild spin on a travel adventure. The story follows Arthur, a bored millionaire who takes out a $2 million life insurance policy while on a cruise to Hong Kong—only to discover his friend has secretly arranged for him to be bumped off within the month. Suddenly fighting to survive, Arthur races across the city alongside Alexandrine, a charming woman he meets along the way.

Chinese Adventures in China is a pitch-perfect pick for local filmgoers, capturing all the charm and chaos of east-meets-west life. From navigating local quirks to dodging hitmen through familiar streets, the film pokes gentle fun at French expats trying to find their footing in the territory. If you call Hong Kong home, the cross-cultural mix-ups and high-octane local energy are both instantly recognisable and thoroughly amusing.

Set on the Western Front of the First World War, Coward presents a breathtaking contrast between the brutal realities of combat and the fragile beauty of human connection. The story follows Pierre, a young soldier eager for glory whose spirit is slowly chipped away by the harrowing task of retrieving fallen comrades from the mud. A silver lining emerges when an army cabaret is organised to boost troop morale; while helping build the stage, Pierre meets Francis, an actor performing in drag whose spellbinding grace kindles a quiet, dangerous spark. As the war rages on, an untimely romance blossoms in the trenches.

Following his acclaimed hit Close, director Lukas Dhont delivers another masterclass in tender, emotional storytelling. Anchored by remarkable performances from its two young leads, who shared the best actor award at Cannes, Coward is a deeply moving, visually stunning exploration of vulnerability under pressure. 

Read more: How the Cannes Film Festival evolved from a post-war film event into a global cultural institution

Already generating serious buzz online, animation Jim Queen adds a bold electric pulse to this year’s line-up. Its neon-drenched cinematography, rebellious characters and infectious soundtrack could have been taken straight from a Hong Kong street.

The satirical commentary on queer life dives straight into a hilarious, high-concept premise: when it comes to the Parisian gay scene, Jim reigns supreme as the king of the Gym Queens, the sexiest and most followed crowd on social media. But his world is turned upside-down when he discovers he has contracted “Heterosis”, a bizarre virus sweeping through the community that does the unthinkable: turning gay men straight. Cheeky, stylish and laugh-out-loud funny, it demonstrates the soft power of film and comedy.

This high-octane 1995 action comedy brings a tale with a chaotic, supernatural twist to local shores. The story follows an unscrupulous Paris nightclub owner and a strait-laced priest who reluctantly team up after crossing paths with Hong Kong triads, all while being constantly harassed and guided by their own mismatched, visible guardian angels. Shot partly on location in Hong Kong, Les Anges Gardiens delivers non-stop physical comedy, wild stunts and a nostalgic, 1990s look at the city. It is an ideal classic selection for local audiences, offering a hilarious throwback to French mainstream cinema’s love affair with Hong Kong action movies.

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