Still Human

I watched a Hong Kong film last weekend, titled Still Human. It tells the story of a disabled man being cared for by his Filipino domestic helper. The film gives off A Simple Life vibes and captivates audience by portraying an exchange of selflessness that touches hearts.

After watching, I learnt that this film was probably a remake of, or inspired by the French film The Intouchables. However, Still Human has that uniquely Hong Kong flavour, set in one of those cramped and decrepit public housing, or the domestic helpers gathering in public on Sundays in their own spots fenced by cardboard. Of course, there is also good writing to boot, in the sense that it easily drives points across without making the audience weary. Talking about the uniqueness of Hong Kong, I wonder how diluted it will be in the years to come. But let's not drag politics into this for now.

I guess the core reason why I love this film is because I get to see something reasonably practicable happening, yet not in real life. Forget about lofty ideas like giving up your dream to take care of an unaffiliated man. A simple gesture like saying 'thank you', or giving way to others is less than expectedly present in society. This film creates a comfort space to remind me that there are still beautiful things, albeit elusive. Yet, how deep do I have to dig, how long do I have to find, in order to discover them?

In the midst of your worldly pursuits, are you still human?