Hu-Du-Men (1996): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1996, Hu-Du-Men is a comedy and drama film directed by Kei Shu, running about 87 minutes.

What it’s about. The "Hu-Du-Men" (loosely translated as "stage door") is an imaginary line separating the stage from reality, and a line that must be crossed each and every night by Sum (Josephine Siao), the aging star of a Cantonese Opera troupe. Nearing the twilight of a storied career, Sum must face a variety of challenging new obstacles, including the possible emigration of her family come 1997, the appearance of a promising young actress (Anita Yuen), the hiring of a Western-schooled stage director (David Wu), the surprising revelation of her daughter's sexuality, and finally the reappearance of a shocking secret from her past. Through it all, Sum must retain her professionalism and dignity, as the "Hu-Du-Men" between the stage and her life begins to blur. Emotional, intimate direction and Raymond To's intelligent, relevant screenplay make Hu-Du-Men worthwhile cinema, but it's Josephine Siao's brilliant, emotionally dynamic performance that sets this film above the rest.

Who’s in it. Hu-Du-Men stars Josephine Siao Fong-Fong as Lang Kim-Sam, Anita Yuen as Yip Yuk-Seung, Waise Lee Chi-Hung as Ah Lung and King-Fai Chung as Chan Yiu Jo, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 4.6/10, Hu-Du-Men has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Hu-Du-Men page.

If you liked it. Fans of Hu-Du-Men tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.