"The Last, the First" is the first domestic documentary film focusing on the theme of "hospice care". The film tells the story of several hospice care volunteers in Guangzhou. They approached hospice care when they faced life difficulties related to death confusion. In the process of accompanying the dying, I not only learned to face death, but also understood the true meaning of companionship, and achieved "living towards death". In the film, Kuang Shengli, Xu Manxiu, Jiang Wenyong, Feng Xuexia and more unnamed volunteers use their own different methods to accompany the dying person to finish their last journey of life with dignity and peace. "Companions" and "dying people" Accompany each other, grow in both directions, and finally complete reconciliation with life and death.
Director Luo Shu came into contact with the hospice volunteer group in Guangzhou 7 years ago, and then spent 6 years filming and producing this film. She shared at the scene that death is a taboo topic for Chinese people, but no one can escape this end of life. Friends around her face death without preparation, often leaving lifelong regrets. If this film can make people Everyone began to think about the issue of death, and gradually understood companionship and farewell, which is the common original intention of all the film's creators.
The main characters in the film, Kuang Shengli, Jiang Wenyong, and Feng Xuexia, also shared the stories behind the film. The small daily things of accompanying the dying and accompanying their families aroused strong resonance among the audience present. Some viewers said that facing such a small minority The director used the camera to truly record the real problems, allowing the public to pay attention to this group of people, which not only deepened the public's understanding of hospice care, but also promoted a more open and in-depth discussion of this topic in society.
"This movie gave me new inspiration in my attitude towards life. It reminds us to cherish every moment we spend with our loved ones and have the courage to express love. It also teaches us how to find our inner self in the face of the inevitable end of life. Peace and acceptance. Learning to say goodbye is a very important topic in our lives," one audience member said. A representative who is also a hospice care volunteer said: "I am very happy that the director can tell us the story of hospice care. As hospice care volunteers, what we provide is not only support for the dying, but also a profound experience in our own souls." During the journey, we have gained many valuable insights and growth through our companionship. We also hope that more and more people can join our team and become a beam of light that illuminates others."
"The Last, the First" was selected as the No. The 18th Hong Kong Asian Film Investment Conference WIP Documentary Unit, and was shortlisted for the review unit of the 20th China (Guangzhou) International Documentary Festival. It is a special fund-funded project for high-quality films in 2022. The film will be released nationwide on May 21, 2024.
