jmaruyama Yan Yan Mak's romantic Lesbian drama "Butterfly" may not be your standard or conventional love story but it is just as heartfelt, touching and sensual as any standard male-female Hollywood drama.The story revolves around the May-December romance between a married 30 year old school teacher, Flavia Wu (Josie Ho) and the free-spirited, 23 year old singer Yip (played by real life singer Tian Yuan of the HK indie group Hopscotch). Both woman have had rough relationships in the past - Flavia is still nursing a particularly bad breakup with a fellow high school classmate and social activist, Jin (who has since become a female Monk in Macau). Similarly, Yip has also gone through her share of failed romances, many of which ended with her lovers taking advantage of her (betraying her trust and stealing her money).While Flavia retreated to the life of an unassuming teacher at a local all-girl's high school and marrying/having a daughter with a man; Yip is happy just singing and living off of tips from her performances at a local tavern/club. Flavia is instantly drawn to Yip's carefree attitude and optimistic outlook on life which remind her so much of Jin. While nervous and scared of the consequences, she soon find herself in a steamy and torrid affair with the young singer. Their romance invigorates Flavia and brings her back in touch with the adventurous and passionate side of her that she thought she had lost. Their happiness is soon challenged when they are discovered by Flavia's husband Ming (Eric Kot) who refuses to divorce Flavia and forces her to choose between living happily with Yip or giving up custody of their daughter Ting-Ting.Yan Yan Mak's artful direction and style are reminiscent of MTV music video and have a very youthful and indie charm. "Butterfly" shifts frequently from past to present and seems to tell two stories (the story of Flavia and Jin's high school/college romance and Flavia's present day romance with Yip) but surprisingly Mak is able to integrate the two stories seamlessly and both stories help to move the story along in an interesting way.The beautiful Josie Ho (Naked Ambition, Exile) is great as the prim and proper Flavia who rediscovers her youth through her younger lover. It is a testament to Ho's talent that she doesn't play her role of Flavia in a stereotypical or contrived fashion and really plays her character in a controlled and calculated way that focuses on her conflicted emotions and the hard decisions she has to make. Tian Yuan is also very good as the happy-go-lucky Yip. She has a magnetic charm about her that is infectious. Tian Yuan and her group Hopscotch provide most of the soundtrack for this film and her singing is absolutely wonderful (she reminds me a lot of UK singer Corinne Bailey Rae).Special note should also go to the young actresses who portray the flashback versions of Flavia and Yip (Isabel Chan and Joman Chiang). They help carry half of the film and their romance is very sensual and poignant. You want to see them succeed but can't help but feel hurt when they don't. Like so many tragic movie romances, fate always seems to deal a cold and cruel hand.In some ways "Butterfly" is like a Lesbian version of Kevin Rodney Sullivan's adaptation of Terry McMillan's brilliant novel "How Stella Got Her Grove Back". As in that film, the theme of regaining one's youth and passion are clearly evident in "Butterfly". The tag-line for "Stella..." - Sometimes you have to break the rules to free your heart - seems to be just as applicable here, although in a much different way.Those expecting something along the lines of Otto Chan's 1991 CAT III Lesbian exploitation film "Pink Lady" (which also revolved around a taboo relationship between two women) may be disappointed that this film isn't as erotic or titillating but Mak is trying to tell a different story and her approach is just as successful and sensual.I was really surprised at how much I liked this film and I look forward to seeing more of Mak's work in the future. She is definitely one to watch!

Jo-DolphiN Not the first lesbian flick i've watched, but so far the best i've ever watched. I wish so much i could watch the deleted scenes. unfortunately Its not sold at my place.I've made few good wallpapers dedicated to both the stars of Tian Yuan and Josie Ho of the movie.http://bluesweetpie.blogspot.com/2005/04/butterfly-wallpaper.htmlplease comment or let me know what you feel about them.The sexual scenes of the movie is just so heated up, yet it doesn't expose any of nu-dial parts of the stars, which makes the director just awesome. i love the ti-an yuan's character and also her beauty. bearing the look of an innocent cute girl, yet making her flirtatious and seductive role so prominent. supplementary to that, her beauty just makes her ever so attractive. I was shocked that Josie Ho was not nominated for best actress for this movie. she did a great job in portraying a confused, controlled, tiring and quiet character. yet be sexy when she seduces her girlfriend while in bed. awesome!

flingebunt Almost every movie about gay or lesbian themes seem to have the same problem, they think they are saying something new and definitive about the topic, but really they repeating the same old trash.According the cover of the DVD, butterfly was a bit of a shock horror scandal movie in Hong Kong. However there is little new to be said here. Flavia is a respectable married school teacher with a child. But when she was a school student she had a lesbian relationship.She meets a girl in a supermarket who awakens her suppressed desires.Using some interesting camera techniques to portray different times and feelings this makes this served to annoy me more than enlighten me (I think it is a Hong Kong, the camera is used to enforce a feeling or moment).What happens in this movie is both beautifully told, but overly pedestrian. It could have been told in a much short way and really all that was being said was that if you are a lesbian you are a lesbian.Still it is nice movie that might be good to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

salvodaze It'll be a little difficult to express my every opinion on Butterfly.First of all, the youthful love and passion between Jin & Flavia is portrayed more than well; although I thought (young) Flavia isn't much of a character compared to (young) Jin. Jin on the other hand is interesting and deeper, although she too is a commonly seen character in life or in movies: the smart and angry high school girl. But it's not a cliché, it's reality. She has deep ideas about life, about the question of life and that's a fact. Most people do that, especially at that age. I really could relate to the scenes involving those two, cos I was there too, kind of.. Being that young and in love was very similar in my situation. I think this is actually important in a movie, cos empathy is one thing some movies are designed to give you, but most (of those who claim they can) usually can't be so close to life. This is something I like about Asian movies, I'm not a big fan of the slow story lines but I appreciate their sense of reality.About the story.. I believe it could've been told better. At times I felt like I was stuck in a movie that just won't go further. But this is independent cinema right? I can't and don't want to look for a Hollywood-type narrative. But I wish I could say it had a unique or at least not (mostly) boring way of narrative. But I can't, it's just too slow at times. I actually thought right before the end that it probably had been almost 3 hours since it started. The story wasn't new blood either, but it was good anyway. I don't need to discuss that.The acting was generally good enough. Stephanie Che was brilliant. The woman who played Rosa was the only one I thought wasn't as good as the rest. But I'm not a critic, I'm a supporter. Just commenting.. I believe people can/should do whatever they like no matter how discouraged they are by others. I think it was the late reactions she gave in her lines, I don't know.I gave the movie 5 out of 10, I could've given 6 though, considering it was in Chinese (subtitles are still obstacles against full comprehension) and for the sake of the scenes involving Jin & Flavia's love. Finally, it's nice and important to see homosexual visibility and issues in movies, that is really appreciated. This is pretty much what I think of Butterfly.ps: I forgot to mention another thing about the movie: the kissing scenes between women. my god were they awful.. they were too conservative or just dull.Salvo Daze