A Very Short Life (2009)
A searing Hong Kong drama-thriller that confronts child abuse, maternal silence, and the unbearable weight of truth through one relentless police investigation.
A Very Short Life - Movie Information
- Original Title: 短暫的生命
- Release Year: 2009
- Directed by: Dennis Law Sau-Yiu
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama, Thriller
- Runtime: 1h 25m
- Original Language: CN
- Spoken Languages: Cantonese
- Release Date (Theatrical): May 6, 2009 (Hong Kong)
- Production Companies: China Star Entertainment
- Production Countries: Hong Kong
A Very Short Life - Plot
"A woman is born to give her body to men; her father or strangers should make no difference." Respectable Police Commissioner Josephine reinvestigates an insignificant murder case of a 11 years old girl. The murderer is the mother of the victim, Becky. Under intense interrogation, Becky refused to admit that she knew all along that her boyfriend was raping her little daughter at home. The harsh interrogation drives Becky into killing herself. What is the truth that the raging Commissioner is trying to find out? What is the seemingly defenseless mother hiding? Or is she acually telling the truth? Is the phrase, "A woman is born to give her body to men." the whole truth?
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A Very Short Life - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Dennis Law Sau-Yiu
Main Cast
- Leila Tong
- Maggie Shiu
- Eddie Cheung Siu-Fai
- Pinky Cheung Man-Chi
- Benz Hui Siu-Hung
- Au Hin-Wai
- Samuel Pang King-Chi
Writers
- Dennis Law Sau-Yiu
Producers
- Charles Heung
A Very Short Life - FAQs
What is A Very Short Life about?
A Very Short Life follows Police Commissioner Josephine as she reinvestigates the murder of an 11-year-old girl. The prime suspect is the child's own mother, Becky, who may have knowingly allowed her boyfriend to abuse her daughter. The film probes guilt, silence, and the devastating cost of complicity.
Who are the main actors in A Very Short Life?
The film stars Leila Tong as Becky Lee, the mother at the center of the investigation, and Maggie Shiu as Police Commissioner Josephine Wong. Eddie Cheung Siu-Fai and Pinky Cheung Man-Chi round out the principal cast alongside Benz Hui Siu-Hung and Samuel Pang King-Chi.
Does Becky really know the truth in A Very Short Life?
That ambiguity is the film's emotional core. Commissioner Josephine pushes hard to determine whether Becky knowingly allowed the abuse of her daughter or was herself a victim of circumstance and fear. The film resists easy answers, leaving viewers to wrestle with questions of guilt, denial, and survival.
Why does Becky kill herself in A Very Short Life?
Becky takes her own life under the relentless pressure of Commissioner Josephine's interrogation. Whether her suicide signals guilt, unbearable grief, or the collapse of a woman already broken by trauma is deliberately left open — one of the film's most unsettling and thought-provoking questions.
Who directed A Very Short Life?
A Very Short Life was directed and written by Dennis Law Sau-Yiu, a Hong Kong filmmaker known for tackling dark, socially charged subject matter. He also appears in the film as a cast member, taking on the role of Dennis Law alongside the principal ensemble.
When was A Very Short Life released?
A Very Short Life had its theatrical release on May 6, 2009, in Hong Kong. The film is a China Star Entertainment production and runs approximately 85 minutes, offering an intense, compact exploration of child abuse, maternal guilt, and institutional justice within the Hong Kong criminal system.
What genre is A Very Short Life?
A Very Short Life sits at the intersection of drama and thriller. It combines the psychological tension of a police procedural with a deeply human drama about trauma, complicity, and moral ambiguity — making it a challenging but compelling watch for fans of serious, socially conscious Hong Kong cinema.
What are some films similar to A Very Short Life?
If A Very Short Life resonated with you, films like Tsotsi (2005) and It Happened in Broad Daylight (1958) explore comparable themes of crime, vulnerability, and moral reckoning. GoodFellas (1990) and The Big Sleep (1946) also share the film's interest in crime, investigation, and the darker corners of human nature.
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