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The Handover

On the day they move apartments, a couple struggles to get everything in order before the landlord arrives for a final inspection.

  • Max Bessmertny
    Director
    Tricycle Thief (TIFF), Dirty Laundry (Tribeca | We Are One)
  • Jorge Cordeiro dos Santos
    Writer
  • Max Bessmertny
    Writer
    Tricycle Thief (TIFF), Dirty Laundry (Tribeca | We Are One)
  • Max Bessmertny
    Producer
    Tricycle Thief (TIFF), Sampan (Pacific Meridian)
  • Mavi Tang
    Producer
    Tricycle Thief (TIFF)
  • Jorge Cordeiro dos Santos
    Producer
  • Jorge Vale
    Key Cast
    "Miguel"
    O Cravo (Indie Lisboa), Years of Macau (IFFAM)
  • Mi Lee
    Key Cast
    "Sammi"
  • Ari Calangi
    Key Cast
    "Kuya"
  • Max Bess
    Key Cast
    "Chef"
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    移家有問題
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Comedy
  • Runtime:
    30 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Portugal
  • Country of Filming:
    Macao
  • Language:
    Chinese, English, Portuguese, Tagalog
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Macao Films Panorama 2020
    Macau
    Macao
    May 8, 2020
    Home Premiere
  • Macau International Short Film Festival 2020
    Macau
    Macao
    December 3, 2020
    Home Premiere
    Best Local Entry
Director Biography - Max Bessmertny

Maxim Bessmertny (b. 24th December 1988, former USSR) is a Macau based director, screenwriter and producer. Maxim’s narrative short film, the noir mystery ’Tricycle Thief' was the first Macau made short film to World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2014, winning the 2015 Kodak Gold Award. In 2017, Maxim was invited to take part in Years of Macau, an omnibus feature film showcasing Macau in the 20 years since its handover in 1999. The film, produced by Tracy Choi, won the Cinephilia Critics award at the 2019 International Film Festival of Macau. That same year, Maxim won a competitive bid to produce ‘The Handover’, a 30 minute short for Macau Cultural Center’s Local Viewpower competition which he co-wrote with Jorge Santos and directed. Maxim’s feature film project entitled “Foreign Cop” was selected by the Torino Film Lab to take part in its extended and creative producing workshops and was also part of the 4th IFFAM Film Market. It was invited to be part of the Fantastic 7 Cannes Film Market in 2020.

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Director Statement

The transfer of sovereignty from the Portuguese government to
Chinese authorities occurred 20 years ago on December 1999, in an event commonly known as “The Handover”.
But on a smaller scale "Handovers" happen quite frequently. Every
day, somewhere in the world, someone packs their things and moves them to a different house. The experience can be stressful. Going through old stuff, settling the remaining housing bills, carrying heavy pieces of furniture, and of course, the added pressure to release the house in good condition and on time - under the penalty of not getting the refund from the security deposit!
This is a reality quite common here in Macau, since a large chunk of the population lives in rented apartments and is a major subject in today's society.
“The Handover” is a comedy inspired by this
experience, represented by a modern couple - very in love - in their
thirties; Miguel, a Portuguese musician/freelancer, and Sammi, a Chinese freelance designer who dreams of having her own brand of shoes.
Moving day will give the pair a lot to do, and is the perfect setup
for a row of adventures that involve a vanished dog and a group of workers who carry a heavy couch down a flight of stairs.
The odyssey also includes a series of other curious characters,
such as Miguel's buddy Alfredo and a bright Filipino named Kuya, who leads a group of handymen hired for the occasion.
It's a one day task turned into a journey of absurd
proportions.