Fanny (Lou de Laâge) and Jean (Melvil Poupaud) appear to be the perfect couple: devoted to each other, thriving at their careers, and living in a gorgeous apartment in the wealthy part of Paris. But when Fanny bumps into an old high school friend, Alain (Niels Schneider), in the street one day, she is reminded of the better, more bohemian self she used to be, and they eventually embark on an adulterous affair. Meanwhile, a suspicious Jean has already hired a private detective to tail his wife around town.

This easygoing romantic drama marks Woody Allen’s 50th film and his first in the French language, but even at 88-years-old, the prolific filmmaker shows no signs of slowing down. Returning to many of his favourite themes, including chance, fate, love, infidelity and murder, Coup de Chance is his best film in years.

First introduced in the 1920s as a hallmark of economic prosperity, the vibrant neon billboards which line the streets of Hong Kong have long been an iconic part of the city’s identity. But their bright colours belie their complicated and difficult creation process, as middle-aged widower Heung (Sylvia Chang) discovers firsthand after the death of her signmaker husband (Simon Yam). To process her grief, she attempts to complete his final commission to restore an old neon sign, but must first overcome her lack of technical knowledge to learn the vanishing artform.

Anastasia Tsang’s directorial debut offers a snapshot of Hong Kong life that is equally so very ordinary and a vital part of the city and its inhabitants. Boosted by a pair of powerful performances, this film is a love letter to places and lives past.