{ "id": "epm5qsfftq", "slug": "tracey-2018-film", "title": "Tracey (翠丝) (2018 film)", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical", "label": "Drama and biographical films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical.drama-films-2015-to-2019", "label": "Drama films 2015 to 2019", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical.drama-films-2015-to-2019" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical.drama-films-2015-to-2019.drama-films-2017-and-2018", "label": "Drama films 2017 and 2018", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical.drama-films-2015-to-2019.drama-films-2017-and-2018" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical", "label": "China · 2001 to 2020: Drama and biographical films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical", "path": [ { "id": "geo.chn", "label": "China", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001", "label": "China · 2001 to 2020", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films", "label": "Films and standalone screen works", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works", "label": "Individual films by title and year", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works" }, { "id": "geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical", "label": "Drama and biographical films (individual works)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.chn.t2001.culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Tracey (翠絲) is Jun Li's 2018 Hong Kong drama debut, the first HK feature on transgender identity, starring Philip Keung as a 51-year-old optometrist who transitions; Ben Yuen won a Golden Horse Best Supporting Actor award.", "snippet": "Tracey (翠絲) is Jun Li's 2018 Hong Kong drama debut, the first HK feature on transgender identity, starring Philip Keung as a 51-year-old optometrist who transitions; Ben Yuen won a Golden Horse Best Supporting Actor award.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.films.films.individual-works.drama-biographical.drama-films-2015-to-2019.drama-films-2017-and-2018", "markdown": "# Tracey (翠丝) (2018 film)\n\n**Tracey** (翠絲) is a 2018 Hong Kong drama film written and directed by Jun Li (李駿碩), starring Philip Keung as a 51-year-old married eyewear shop owner who decides to transition from male to female. It was the first Hong Kong feature film to take transgender identity as its direct subject, and the first film about transgenderism as a distinct gender identity to be screened at mainstream commercial cinemas in Hong Kong.[1](https://m.wmoov.com/movie/details/42013) • [2](https://academic.oup.com/icon/article/21/2/673/7188184)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Director / writers | Jun Li's feature directorial debut; screenplay signed by Shu Kei, Erica Li (李敏), and Jun Li[3](https://www.bighonor.com.hk/filmtvs/%E7%BF%A0%E7%B5%B2) |\n| Producers | Shu Kei and Jacqueline Liu (廖婉虹); produced by One Cool Film[1](https://m.wmoov.com/movie/details/42013) • [4](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/tracey/umc.cmc.9aenlmktksn9gsi5inn0topt?l=en) |\n| Cast | Philip Keung, Kara Wai, Ben Yuen, River Huang, Jennifer Yu, Ng Siu-hin, Eric Kot[5](https://www.moviemovie.com.hk/zh/movies/5bc04d8f2ccffb078c837d96) |\n| Dates | Filming began 5 December 2017; premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival on 28 October 2018; Hong Kong release 22 November 2018[4](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/tracey/umc.cmc.9aenlmktksn9gsi5inn0topt?l=en) |\n| Format | Cantonese, 119 minutes, Hong Kong category IIB[1](https://m.wmoov.com/movie/details/42013) |\n| Awards | Ben Yuen won the 2018 Golden Horse Award for Best Supporting Actor; the film received nine nominations at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards, where Kara Wai won Best Supporting Actress[6](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/1985) • [7](https://www.yesasia.com/global/tracey-2018-dvd-2-disc-special-edition-hong-kong-version/1073346921-0-0-0-en/info.html) |\n| Box office | US$634,018 worldwide cumulative as of 12 April 2024[8](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E7%BF%A0%E4%B8%9D/22453231?fromModule=tashuo-article_bottom-lemma) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Plot\n\nTung Tai-hung (佟大雄, played by Philip Keung) is a 51-year-old eyewear shop owner with a stable business, a wife, Anne (Kara Wai), a teenage son (Ng Siu-hin), and a daughter (Jennifer Yu). His life appears settled, but he has kept a lifelong secret: he identifies as a woman trapped in a man's body.[9](https://queereast.org.uk/programme/tracey/) • [10](https://hkac.org.hk/en/calendar_detail/?lang=tc&u=j1WNcj0b1y4)\n\nA late-night call from London brings news that his old classmate and childhood crush Ching has died. Bond (River Huang), a young writer who describes himself as Ching's same-sex husband, arrives in Hong Kong with Ching's ashes for burial, and the encounter stirs buried memories and desires.[10](https://hkac.org.hk/en/calendar_detail/?lang=tc&u=j1WNcj0b1y4) • [11](https://www.onecool.com/sc/film/tracey/) Around the same time Tai-hung meets his old friend Brother Darling (打鈴哥, Ben Yuen), a veteran [Cantonese](https://www.edgepedia.org/cantonese) opera performer who specializes in female roles and is himself a trans woman.[9](https://queereast.org.uk/programme/tracey/) Through these encounters Tai-hung comes to conceive of herself as trans, comes out to Anne in female dress, and decides to undergo sex reassignment surgery.[2](https://academic.oup.com/icon/article/21/2/673/7188184) • [12](https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/228915/2/Bettinson_Making_Tracey.pdf)\n\nThe family absorbs the decision differently. Anne refuses to accept it and will not grant a divorce; the son is bewildered; the daughter's own marriage is failing.[11](https://www.onecool.com/sc/film/tracey/) • [13](https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/266523/%E7%BF%A0%E7%B5%B2-%E5%B0%8E%E6%BC%94%E6%9D%8E%E9%A7%BF%E7%A2%A9%E8%A6%AA%E8%A7%A3%E8%A7%80%E7%9C%BE%E7%96%91%E6%83%91-%E6%9C%89%E4%BA%BA%E5%95%8F%E9%BB%83%E6%B2%B3%E6%9C%80%E7%B5%82%E4%BB%B2%E4%BF%82%E5%92%AA%E5%90%8C%E6%80%A7%E6%88%80) After a confrontation that pushes Tai-hung to self-harm, she takes drastic measures to actuate her female self, and the film ends after the surgery with her embracing her identity as Tracey.[12](https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/228915/2/Bettinson_Making_Tracey.pdf) • [2](https://academic.oup.com/icon/article/21/2/673/7188184)\n\n## Production\n\nThe project began with the veteran filmmaker and critic Shu Kei (舒琪), who served as producer and co-writer. He spent years holding the script and looking for a young director; eight or nine directors declined, some because they did not feel they understood transgender issues, some on religious grounds, and some because they felt offended by the subject. Shu Kei met Jun Li at a Fresh Wave awards ceremony, and the film finally went ahead.[14](https://collection.news/thestandnews/articles/86129)\n\nJun Li, born in 1991, studied journalism as an undergraduate and gender studies for his master's degree at the [University of Cambridge](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-cambridge). His Fresh Wave competition short *Liu Yang He* (2017), about a sex worker in Hong Kong, won the top prize and Best Director at the 11th Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival, and on the strength of that recognition he was offered *Tracey*.[15](https://www.cna.com.tw/news/amov/201811120299.aspx) • [16](https://sffilm.org/event/tracey/) • [1](https://m.wmoov.com/movie/details/42013) Before shooting, he invited transgender people to meet the cast and crew, which he regarded as a basic step for any realist film.[14](https://collection.news/thestandnews/articles/86129)\n\nThe film was made by One Cool Film, the production company founded by [Louis Koo](https://www.edgepedia.org/louis-koo), which produced, distributed, and promoted it.[2](https://academic.oup.com/icon/article/21/2/673/7188184) • [4](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/tracey/umc.cmc.9aenlmktksn9gsi5inn0topt?l=en) Filming began on 5 December 2017, about six months after Li's Fresh Wave win.[4](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/tracey/umc.cmc.9aenlmktksn9gsi5inn0topt?l=en) • [17](https://www.elle.com.hk/celebrity/elle-cinema-sasha-jun)\n\nFor Philip Keung, one of Hong Kong cinema's most prolific supporting actors, the film marked his first leading role, at the age of 52.[18](https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/2174380/tracey-film-review-philip-keung-mesmerising-hong-kong-transgender)\n\n## Release and reception\n\n*Tracey* premiered at the 2018 Tokyo International Film Festival on 28 October 2018 and was the opening film of the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival.[4](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/tracey/umc.cmc.9aenlmktksn9gsi5inn0topt?l=en) • [19](https://aidsconcern.org.hk/en/traceymoviescreening/) It opened in preview screenings in Hong Kong on 6 November 2018 and went on general release there on 22 November; it reached Taiwanese cinemas on 16 November.[1](https://m.wmoov.com/movie/details/42013) • [15](https://www.cna.com.tw/news/amov/201811120299.aspx)\n\nCritical response was positive on balance. On Rotten Tomatoes the film held a 60% Tomatometer from five reviews.[20](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tracey) Edmund Lee of the *South China Morning Post* gave it 4 out of 5 stars, calling Keung's performance mesmerizing and the film a triumphant debut for him as a lead actor.[18](https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/2174380/tracey-film-review-philip-keung-mesmerising-hong-kong-transgender) Elizabeth Kerr of *The Hollywood Reporter* called it a necessary film with genuinely moving moments, but one too often weighed down by its own significance.[20](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tracey) Some reviewers were more critical of its treatment of trans identity: a review in In Review Online argued that the film's centering of genitalia in trans identity remained problematic and highlighted the need for more trans perspectives in modern cinema.[21](https://inreviewonline.com/2019/04/25/tracey/)\n\nDirector Jun Li framed the film's intent in terms of desire rather than surgery: he said he wanted to show that transgender people feel desire and long to be desired, and to depict a scene about two people making love in which gender identification mattered less than simple desire.[16](https://sffilm.org/event/tracey/) He also stressed that the film tells only one story about one transgender person and does not represent the experience of the whole community.[22](https://www.thenewslens.com/feature/2018tghff/109393)\n\n## Awards\n\nAt the 55th Golden Horse Awards in 2018, Ben Yuen won Best Supporting Actor for his role as Brother Darling, and Kara Wai was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.[6](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/1985) • [23](https://kfa.kcg.gov.tw/tw/movies-content/F4fb8e0e3DA6) The film received nine nominations at the 38th Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Score, and Best Original Film Song, and Kara Wai won Best Supporting Actress there for playing Anne.[7](https://www.yesasia.com/global/tracey-2018-dvd-2-disc-special-edition-hong-kong-version/1073346921-0-0-0-en/info.html) • [8](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E7%BF%A0%E4%B8%9D/22453231?fromModule=tashuo-article_bottom-lemma)\n\n## Significance\n\n*Tracey* belongs to a recent current of Hong Kong social-issue dramas, alongside *[Mad World](https://www.edgepedia.org/mad-world-2016-film)* (2016, mental illness), *Still Human* (2018, disability), and later films on ethnic minorities and vagrancy, that brought marginalized subjects into mainstream local production.[12](https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/228915/2/Bettinson_Making_Tracey.pdf) Its placement matters: while Maisy Suen's independent *A Woman Is a Woman* (2018) also dealt with a trans woman in Hong Kong but played in small screenings without major backing, *Tracey* was the first film about transgender identity to reach mainstream commercial cinemas in the city, and it was extensively reviewed.[2](https://academic.oup.com/icon/article/21/2/673/7188184) Jun Li's later career built on the debut: his second feature, *Drifting* (2021), was nominated for twelve Golden Horse Awards and won Best Adapted Screenplay.[6](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/1985)\n\n## References\n\n1. [翠絲 Tracey, WMOOV 香港電影](https://m.wmoov.com/movie/details/42013)\n2. [Law, film, and trans identity in Hong Kong, International Journal of Constitutional Law (Oxford Academic)](https://academic.oup.com/icon/article/21/2/673/7188184)\n3. [《翠絲》TRACEY, Big Honor Entertainment](https://www.bighonor.com.hk/filmtvs/%E7%BF%A0%E7%B5%B2)\n4. [Tracey, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/tw/movie/tracey/umc.cmc.9aenlmktksn9gsi5inn0topt?l=en)\n5. [翠絲 (HKAFF 2018), MovieMovie](https://www.moviemovie.com.hk/zh/movies/5bc04d8f2ccffb078c837d96)\n6. [翠絲 Tracey, 台北金馬影展](https://www.goldenhorse.org.tw/film/about/archive/detail/1985)\n7. [Tracey (2018) DVD 2-Disc Special Edition, YesAsia](https://www.yesasia.com/global/tracey-2018-dvd-2-disc-special-edition-hong-kong-version/1073346921-0-0-0-en/info.html)\n8. [翠丝 (2018年李骏硕执导的电影), 百度百科](https://wapbaike.baidu.com/item/%E7%BF%A0%E4%B8%9D/22453231?fromModule=tashuo-article_bottom-lemma)\n9. [Tracey, Queer East](https://queereast.org.uk/programme/tracey/)\n10. [Tracey, Hong Kong Arts Centre](https://hkac.org.hk/en/calendar_detail/?lang=tc&u=j1WNcj0b1y4)\n11. [翠丝, One Cool Group](https://www.onecool.com/sc/film/tracey/)\n12. [Gary Bettinson, Making Tracey: An interview with Shu Kei, Asian Cinema 35(1/2), accepted manuscript](https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/228915/2/Bettinson_Making_Tracey.pdf)\n13. [翠絲：導演李駿碩親解觀眾疑惑, HK01](https://www.hk01.com/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1/266523/%E7%BF%A0%E7%B5%B2-%E5%B0%8E%E6%BC%94%E6%9D%8E%E9%A7%BF%E7%A2%A9%E8%A6%AA%E8%A7%A3%E8%A7%80%E7%9C%BE%E7%96%91%E6%83%91-%E6%9C%89%E4%BA%BA%E5%95%8F%E9%BB%83%E6%B2%B3%E6%9C%80%E7%B5%82%E4%BB%B2%E4%BF%82%E5%92%AA%E5%90%8C%E6%80%A7%E6%88%80)\n14. [拋掉偏見與獵奇：《翠絲》怎樣訴說跨性別者故事, 立場新聞](https://collection.news/thestandnews/articles/86129)\n15. [香港新銳導演李駿碩 挾翠絲與吊吊揈搶金馬, 中央社 CNA](https://www.cna.com.tw/news/amov/201811120299.aspx)\n16. [Tracey, SFFILM](https://sffilm.org/event/tracey/)\n17. [專訪祝紫嫣、李駿碩：相遇與迴響, ELLE HK](https://www.elle.com.hk/celebrity/elle-cinema-sasha-jun)\n18. [Tracey film review: Philip Keung mesmerising in Hong Kong transgender drama, South China Morning Post](https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/2174380/tracey-film-review-philip-keung-mesmerising-hong-kong-transgender)\n19. [TRACEY Charity Movie Screening, AIDS Concern](https://aidsconcern.org.hk/en/traceymoviescreening/)\n20. [Tracey, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/tracey)\n21. [Tracey, In Review Online](https://inreviewonline.com/2019/04/25/tracey/)\n22. [焦點院線《翠絲》：撐開主流電影的性別侷限, The News Lens](https://www.thenewslens.com/feature/2018tghff/109393)\n23. [翠絲 Tracey, 高雄市電影館](https://kfa.kcg.gov.tw/tw/movies-content/F4fb8e0e3DA6)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Drama and biographical films (individual works) › Drama films 2015 to 2019 › Drama films 2017 and 2018*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/tracey-2018-film", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/tracey-2018-film.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Tracey (翠丝) (2018 film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/tracey-2018-film. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Tracey (翠丝) (2018 film)](https://www.edgepedia.org/tracey-2018-film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/tracey-2018-film](https://www.edgepedia.org/tracey-2018-film). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Tracey (翠丝) (2018 film)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/tracey-2018-film. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Tracey is Jun Li's 2018 Hong Kong drama debut, the first HK feature on transgender identity, starring Philip Keung as a 51-year-old optometrist who transitions; Ben Yuen won a Golden Horse Best Supporting Actor award." }