Constance Tsang’s debut feature film “Blue Sun Palace” offers a poignant and intimate look into the lives of Chinese immigrants working in a massage parlor in Flushing, Queens. The film follows the stories of three main characters: Didi, a massage parlor worker; her friend and colleague Amy; and Cheung, Didi’s boyfriend who works as a construction worker while sending money back to his family in Taiwan. The film opens with Cheung and Didi sharing a meal, their easy intimacy captured through close-up shots and subtle gestures.
Despite the challenges they face, Didi and Amy find solace in their friendship and shared dreams of opening a restaurant together in Maryland. However, tragedy strikes the massage parlor on Lunar New Year, shifting the film’s tone and focus. Tsang cleverly delays the film’s credits until 30 minutes in, signaling the transition from a story of friendship to one of grief and unexpected bonds formed in response to loss.
In the aftermath, Amy and Cheung develop a friendship, united by their pain and shared immigrant experiences.
Connections amid grief
Tsang’s use of cinematography captures the characters’ emotions and environment, creating a gentle and intimate atmosphere that highlights the resilience and tenderness of people striving to find connection and meaning in the face of adversity.
Shot on location in Flushing, where Tsang grew up, “Blue Sun Palace” offers a nuanced portrayal of the realities faced by migrants, including the subtle exploitation experienced by massage parlor workers. The film’s locations, bathed in white-blue artificial light, create a bubble-like atmosphere that emphasizes the characters’ lack of privacy and the challenges they face. Tsang’s writing focuses on the tentative connections between characters, conveying their cautious hopefulness amidst grief.
The film’s final scenes, extending along the Eastern Seaboard, present two divergent paths for the characters: some planting roots in America, while others disappear into the landscape. “Blue Sun Palace” is a blend of Chinese auteur influences and hyperlocal indie sensibilities, mirroring the hybrid identities of its characters. Through its poignant and unvarnished depiction of migrant life in Flushing, the film captures both the struggles and fleeting moments of connection and hope experienced by its characters.
