VISIBLE SECRET (YAULING YANGAN) Asian New Classics

This latest film from Ann Hui may surprise some of her fans-it’s a ghost mystery. An internationally recognized and awarded filmmaker, Hui is best known for her moving films on Hong Kong and Chinese history and life. But after working in commercial TV, Hui started her film career in mystery and horror, with her talents very much in evidence here.

Peter, a hairdresser by trade, meets June at a disco and it’s love at first sight, even though she’s busy dumping her boyfriend. Soon they’re an item, but strange things start to happen, perhaps due 16 the fact that June claims to see ghosts. Friends start to become possessed and act out in bad ways, leading Peter and June on a search that seems to point to a gruesome street accident that happened. many years earlier.

VISIBLE SECRET is a visual delight, with Hui lending depth to her characters and situations, elevating the film beyond the horror genre.