Directed by Patrick Leung, Ciao UFO is a poignant Hong Kong drama spanning the 1980s to the early 2000s. Based on the famous urban legend, the film centers on the Wah Fu Estate, one of Hong Kong’s most iconic public housing projects and a rumoured UFO sighting there. The story follows the lives of four childhood friends – Tsz-kin (Chui Tien-you), Ka-him (Wong You-nam), Hoi-yee (Charlene Choi Cheuk-yin), and her little brother (Ng Siu-hin). After witnessing an extra-terrestrial event, they drift apart as they enter adulthood. Struggling in their late 20s, they must confront their pasts and reconcile the present to move forward.
Despite its title, Ciao UFO is not a science fiction film. The protagonists never study the UFO scientifically, and the so-called UFO is a shade of light that only they believe to be true. The original Chinese title is Zoi-gin UFO, and the Cantonese phrase Zoi-gin carries the double meaning of ‘ goodbye’ and ‘see you again’. In this sense, the UFO symbolises a farewell to, and a revisiting of, something that has been lost and is still longed for, including Hong Kong’s past.
Ciao UFO vividly captures Hong Kong’s society and atmosphere from the 1980s to the early 2000s. This was of hope and uncertainty is reflected in the contrast between Ka-him’s grandfather’s excitement over the handover and Kin’s desperate urge to emigrate, It was a period marked by both sudden wealth and devastating loss, exemplified by Kin and by Kin and many others losing their fortunes in the stock market crash. Simultaneously, it saw a boom in Hong Kong’s global pop-cultural influence, evidenced by everything from the Tamagotchi to the classic melodies of Sam Hui’s Private Eyes.
The protagonists also present three common life paths of ordinary Hong Kongers. Tsz-kin embodies the pursuit of wealth, moving between get-rich-quick schemes and stock market speculation; In contrast, Ka-him struggling to find a conventional foothold or career ambition, represents those often considered ‘failures’ by society. Finally Hoi-yee embodies the quintessential Hong Kong office worker, she settles for a stable accounting job she doesn’t enjoy, while navigating the heavy social familial pressures to marry. Their lives form a microcosm of Hong Kong society, where individuals are told to pursue stability and financial success, while feeling lost and worn down by the relentless pace of urban life.
By effectively portraying Hong Kong’s collective memory, the film has been well received locally. Most audiences find it relatable and touching, particularly in light of the city’s recent socio-political changes. Its delayed release – arriving eight years after production due to financial hurdles and the pandemic. The patience paid off: Ciao UFO emerged as a critical darling, sweeping six categories, including Best Film, at the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards.
As the film reaches international screens, a question remains: can its impact be sustained abroad? As many cultural references go unexplained, international audiences may struggle to fully grasp its significance without prior knowledge of Hong Kong’s history and culture. For instance, when Ka-him discusses the UFO on the television programme Hong Kong Today, he suddenly breaks down when he realises that his friends have not watched it. It may seem abrupt, but it is because the show was so popular that Ka-him would expect everyone to have watched it. Similarly, the use of 1980s pop songs without translated lyrics diminishes their thematic nuance, which reflects the working lives of ordinary people and the public’s ambivalence toward the political climate of the era.
Moreover, it is unclear what the film aims to deliver with the depiction of Hong Kong’s past, whether it seeks to mourn a lost golden era or to critique the rampant materialism of that time. While this ambiguity provides international audiences with a window to Hong Kong’s history, the film may struggle to generate the same response abroad as it does with local viewers who lived through those specific shifts.
Adulthood is another central theme of the movie. As the last remaining bond among the four friends, the UFO acts a poignant reminder of their younger, more innocent selves those who once resisted conforming to mainstream expectations. In this sense, the UFO is a potent symbol, linking the loss of childhood purity directly to the physical and social transformation of the city.
While the theme of adulthood is universal, it is unfortunately conveyed through a somewhat familiar template: three adults follow a conventional life path, feel sad about their current life, reunite at a moment of crisis, and are prompted to rediscover their true self. Repeated, overly explicit dialogue about courage and imagination further reduces what could have been a more layered exploration into a series of explicit statements.
Ultimately, the strengths and limitations of Ciao UFO are closely intertwined. Its nostalgic depiction of Hong Kong’s past may strongly engage local audiences, yet it can create distance for viewers less familiar with its context. It is an ambitious work with a compelling conceptual foundation, but its execution does not achieve the same level of precision.
Ciao UFO is released in cinemas across the UK and Ireland on Friday, 15th May 2026. To find your nearest screening, visit Central City Media.
