Trivia / A Brighter Summer Day

• Amateur Cast: Nearly all of the (staggeringly huge) cast were amateurs.
• Completely Different Title: The original Chinese title translates to "The Homicide Incident of the Youth on Guling Street," itself something of a Spoiler Title (referencing Si'r's murder of Ming at the end of the film, or at the very least the 217s massacre), but it's best known by the more oblique, poignant English title.
• Keep Circulating the Tapes: It was almost impossible to find an official copy of the film in North America, making it among the most sought-after titles and keeping the film in relative obscurity; even bootlegged copies were marred with poorly restored footage and dicey subtitling (if any were available at all), if you were lucky to find a full version of the film at all, and discs that were available tended to fetch a high price. The Criterion Collection released a full, restored version in 2015 for the United States, making it the first time in two decades the film was officially available in America.
• Real-Life Relative: Si'r and his father are played by a real-life father and son duo.