Castaway and desert island/planet movies have a strange fascinating quality. We love seeing the protagonist coping with the loss of all the things we give for granted, we cheer her/him while trying for months to grow a potato on Mars, we empathise with her/his bravery facing the hostile environment and we come out the other end with her/him, feeling purified and full of – short lasting – good resolutions. A potent reminder of our littleness when facing nature, they often offer a harsh critique to consumerism and trapping society structures. First solo work by writer-director Lee Hae-joon “Castaway on The Moon” is a different kind of beast as, in addition to all of the above, it is also a genuinely funny and sweet story of human connections and hope.

“Castaway on the Moon” is screening at Hong Kong Arts Centre, as part of the The Look of Love:...