Durian Durian


Durian Durian is a 2000 Hong Kong film directed by Fruit Chan. The film portrays the experiences of a young girl, Fan, and her sex worker neighbour, Yan, in Hong Kong.

Plot

Yan is a prostitute from the mainland in Hong Kong, living near Fan and her family, who is staying in the area illegally. Yan meets Fan in a laneway behind Portland Street and become friends after Yan's pimp is assaulted in front of Fan by an assailant wielding a durian fruit.
Yan services dozens of clients per day and showers compulsively. After her 3-month-stay in Hong Kong, Yan returns to her family and her ex-fiancé in Northeast China to invest what she has earned. Yan remains in contact with Fan, receiving a durian from her as a gift.

Connection to Fruit Chan's other work

Fan was featured in Little Cheung, a film which also deals with poverty and life as an immigrant. This film also centres upon Portland Street in Kowloon.

Awards

At the 20th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2001, Durian Durian was nominated for the Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress, Best New Performer and Best Art Direction awards. It won the awards for Best Film and Best New Performer. It was awarded Best Film at the 2001 Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards. The film also won the Best Picture award at the 38th Golden Horse Awards, with Qin winning the Best Actress and Best New Performer awards.

Reception

In addition to numerous awards, the film has received critical acclaim. Reviews have praised director Fruit Chan and actresses Qin Hailu and Mak Wai-Fan, and emphasise themes of contrast, urban squalor, youthful optimism, and alienation. The film has been called "deliberate and brooding".