Ciao UFO

"For hope, look to the stars."

2025 2h 1m CN

👍

7.2

SOLID

★7.2TMDB · 6

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Wah Fu Estate in Aberdeen is the home of many urban legends, but few were as outlandish as the one that happened in the 1980s: One night, residents turned their heads to the sky and saw a giant UFO hovering above them for five minutes. No one else could prove or explain the odd phenomenon, but it becomes the pivotal event for three young people.

“For hope, look to the stars.”

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Cast

Chui Tien-You
Chan Tsz Kin
Wong Yau-Nam
Ho Ka Him
Charlene Choi Chuek-Yin
Lam Hoi Yee
Ng Siu-Hin
Little Brother
Michelle Wai Si-Nga
Leung Wing Yan
Rachel Leung
Cat
Joey Leung Cho-Yiu
Austin
Michael Ning
Uncle

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Patrick Leung Pak-Kin
Writers: Kong Hiu-Yan, Amy Chin Siu-Wai
Languages: Cantonese
Countries: Hong Kong

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released last year.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Patrick Leung Pak-Kin, shot by Leung Ming-kai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Tsui Chin-Hung. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Total To shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Chui Tien-You and Wong Yau-Nam and Charlene Choi Chuek-Yin carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "For hope, look to the stars.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt14241008 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 6 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Patrick Leung Pak-Kin directs. Leung Ming-kai behind the camera. Tsui Chin-Hung scores. Total To cuts. Produced in Hong Kong. Dialogue in Cantonese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released last year.
2Directed by Patrick Leung Pak-Kin, shot by Leung Ming-kai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Tsui Chin-Hung. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Total To shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Chui Tien-You and Wong Yau-Nam and Charlene Choi Chuek-Yin carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "For hope, look to the stars.".
7IMDB entry: tt14241008 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 6 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Leung Ming-kai
Original score: Tsui Chin-Hung
Editing: Total To
Runtime: 121 min · 2h 1m
Status: Released
Original language: CN
Certification (US): 12A
IMDB: Ciao UFO (2025)

Also by

Patrick Leung Pak-Kin

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2026-05-19
★ 7/10
There is maybe more of the metaphorical UFO here than any real one, but it serves as quite a useful conduit for the stories of the lives of three childhood friends. It's "Kin", "Hoy-Yi" and "Heem" who are on the roof of the hospital amidst an almost biblical thunderstorm when they see something emerge from the clouds that continues to inspire them for the rest of heir lives. "Heem" has leukemia but is currently in remission; "Kin" is there following an accident at sea that has rendered his beloved father on death's door and then there's "Hoy-Yi" who appears to be the stabilising influence as tragedy surely looms. What now ensues bounces around their chronologies as the three find their adult lives taking unpredictable turns in an Hong Kong preparing for the handover in 1997 and the millennium shortly thereafter. "Kin" (Chui Tien-You) has amassed almost a quarter of a million dollars so he can leave the colony, but when he is tempted by the stock market his fortunes start to change as the Hang Seng goes spiral. How sustainable is that, though? Meantime, "Heem" (Wong You-Nam) sees his life travel along more stable lines until the death of his revered grandfather has a far-reachingly traumatic effect on him and then, finally, "Hoy-Yi" (Charlene Choi) finds herself preparing for a marriage with the rather pedestrian "Austin" (Joey Cho Yiu Leung) which she seems destined to drift into, despite every alarm bell in her head ringing loudly. All three friends have long-since drifted apart but with the nuptials looming, and with all three in need of redemption, perhaps now is a time for fate to take an hand and unite the trio - and her now grown up brother "Little Guy" (Ng Siu-Hin) and allow them to focus on a promise they made to each other years ago. The constant swapping of timelines and characters takes a bit of getting used to, but once we've got the gist of what is going on this delivers quite a telling critique of human nature. The very fine lines between success and failure as well as happiness and loneliness are clearly exposed as these people have to come to terms with their own demons, vulnerability and aspirations. "Kin" has more of the play, and his character exposed to more of the ups and downs of life, but there are also strong performances from the others and from the children who play their parts well throughout (I especially liked the large-spectactled and entirely dialogue free contribution from "Little Brother" when he was very, very, little). In some ways it's a modern comment on some of the seven deadly sins and how they affect us, and though the pace is not always the most consistent, this is a film that emphasises more it's characterisations and there's even an appearance from HRH The Prince of Wales, too! Science fiction no, but then they do say the truth is stranger...

Production companies