Love Is Not a Sin

Relatives lost long ago, incestuous thoughts, murder and a long-distance relationship with a non-existent lover: Chan manages to provide a sensitive portrayal of the feelings and relationships of his characters in this crafted DV film and en passant upsets all the conventions of the teenage romance genre. The two teenage girlfriends Moon and Mun Mun grow up together in Macau. When Mun Mun thinks she sees a ghost in Moon’s room, she installs a camera in the room without her friend knowing and makes a startling discovery: Moon is a boy! When she has got over the shock, she quickly accepts her best friend’s new gender. It is quite a relief actually, because she falls in love secretly. Just when she has plucked up enough courage to express her love (by now she is studying in Australia), the suspected ghost turns out to be Moon’s previously unknown twin brother. Mun Mun is pretty confused, but phone romance blossoms with the unknown man. When Mun Mun returns to Macao, it eventually becomes clear what is going on. This energetic cross between love and suspense was given the prize for the best DV feature in Hong Kong. Love Is Not a Sin is a skillfully made film with a surprisingly modest budget, completed by a great talent.