Not Friends 2023
130minutes
Release Date
Taiwan
cinema
Hong Kong
cinema
Original Title
เพื่อน(ไม่)สนิท
Hong Kong Title
Not Friends
Plot Synopsis
Have you ever had a close friend whom you still think about all these years later?
‘Pae’, a twelfth grader facing parental pressure to take the entrance exam for admission to a prestigious university. When he learns that a renowned university offers a direct submission option, requiring students to create and submit a short film for consideration, inspiration strikes. Pae decides to craft a short film centered around ‘Joe’, his late deskmate who tragically passed away in an accident. His hope is that a poignant tale of a lost friend will resonate with and impress the university admission committees.
However, it isn't as easy as Pae initially thought, since he doesn't have any knowledge about filmmaking at all. Moreover, he faces another challenge in the form of ‘Bokeh’, Joe's true friend, who volunteers to help him with the short film.
And so, the filmmaking mission begins with Pae's future at stake, aided by a group of nerds from the audiovisual club. Eventually, the short film project gains recognition across the entire school, and Pae finds himself under pressure from Joe's family to deliver a satisfactory film about their beloved son.
However, this project leads them to uncover a secret that Joe had hidden from them, a revelation that threatens to change their perspective on their dear departed friend forever.