导演：Benjamin Mullinkosson
编剧：无
主演：Yihao、647、Darkle、Kimberly、Gennady Baranov
制片人：叶先开、Anita Gou、Sam Intili
摄影：费艳秋、Gennady Baranov
类型：纪录长片
时长：95分钟
完成时间：2023
对白语言：汉语普通话、英语
地区：中国、美国
制片公司：Florence、Wavelength、Kindred Spirit

Director: Benjamin Mullinkosson
Screenwriter: None
Cast: Yihao, 647, Darkle, Kimberly, Gennady Baranov
Producer: Sol Ye, Anita Gou, Sam Intili
Cinematographer: Yanqiu Fei, Gennady Baranov
Genre: Documentary
Length: 95min
Year: 2023
Dialogue: Mandarin Chinese, English
Region: China, USA
Production Company: Florence, Wavelength, Kindred Spirit

随着成都逐渐变成中国最大最繁华的城市之一，深受本地年轻人喜爱的电音俱乐部Funky Town的未来却尚不明朗。对于一群充满活力却时常被边缘化的DJ、艺术家、变装皇后、情侣、狂欢者和滑板仔来说，这里是地下派对的避难所，让他们在黑夜尽情狂欢，直到太阳在地平线上升起。这可能是唯一一个能让他们接受真实的自己的地方，而他们却在白天逃避着各种各样的问题。随着Funky Town周边出现巨大的起重机，建筑工人开始占领城市的每个角落，这些年轻人知道，留给他们的时间不多了。他们将被迫面对当初让他们来到这个俱乐部的原因，并在这块宝地变成地铁站之前争分夺秒地狂欢。《午夜出走》是一部关于成长的电影，它是献给成都的情书，也歌颂青春的短暂——从爱到失去，从呕吐到清醒。

As the city of Chengdu changes, the future of the beloved club Funky Town is unclear. For a vibrant group of DJs, drag performers, lovers, ravers, and skaters this is a sanctuary for underground partying and allows them to thrive after the sun sets. It’s the one place that accepts them for who they really are, whilst they run away from their problems during the day. With construction cranes looming from an encroaching metro station, the friends are forced to face what brought them to the party in the first place and make the most of their remaining time there. THE LAST YEAR OF DARKNESS is a coming-of-age film that celebrates the ephemerality of youth—from love to loss, from throwing up to growing up.

这是导演Ben Mullinkosson的第二部长片纪录片，也是他第六年回到成都。他说流利的中文和成都话。他的第一部电影DON’T BE A DICK ABOUT IT获得了2018年阿姆斯特丹国际纪录片电影节（IDFA）观众评审大奖，并由知名独立电影厂牌Oscilloscope发行。除了纪录片工作，他也制作诸多顶级品牌的广告和MV。过去荣誉包括戛纳银狮广告奖，Vimeo Staff Pick，并产生数百万点击率。Ben的其他短片作品曾入围全球超过50多个电影节，包括翠贝卡电影节、Slamdance电影节等。

This is Ben’s second feature-length documentary and 6th year coming back to Chengdu. He speaks Chinese. His first feature DON’T BE A DICK ABOUT IT won the 2018 Audience Award at IDFA and is being distributed by Oscilloscope. He now works directing commercials and music videos. His works include Cannes Silver Lion Advertising award, Vimeo Staff Picks, NYT Op-Docs, and some of his films have millions of views. His previous short films have gotten into 50+ festivals around the world including Tribeca (GNARLY IN PINK) and Slamdance (WHAT I HATE ABOUT MYSELF).

《午夜出走》是一部关于成长的纪录片，讲述了我在成都认识的五个朋友的故事。这部电影是对生命的庆祝，也是给这个美好社区的一封情书，我很幸运能成为这个社区的一员。

这部电影对我来说很私人。Funky Town是我逃避问题的地方，即使只是在晚上。它是成都地下社区的中心。在这里，每个不适应传统规则的人都可以感到狂野和自由。Funky Town拯救了我们。电子音乐拯救了我们的生命。我这个项目的目标是创造一个临时乌托邦的肖像，并与更多的观众分享这个亲密的空间。

我深深地被我主角们的旅程所吸引，我希望世界各地的人们也能如此感受。与抑郁症作斗争、作为艺术家生活所带来的疲惫、努力维持生计所面临的挣扎：这些问题迄今为止在我生命的决定性时刻发挥了作用，也是这部纪录片中每个角色成长故事的核心。

The Last Year of Darkness is a coming-of-age documentary about five of the friends I made in the underground party scene in Chengdu, China. The film is a celebration of life and a love letter to this wonderful community I’ve been so lucky to be a part of.

This film is really personal to me. Funky Town is where I go to escape my problems, even if only for the night. It’s the epicenter of the underground community in Chengdu where everyone who doesn’t fit into conventional society can feel wild and free. Funky Town has saved our lives. Techno music has saved our lives. My goal for this project was to create a portrait of a temporary utopia and share this intimate space with a larger audience.

I connect deeply with the journeys of my main characters and I hope that folks all around the world will too. Battling depression, the exhaustion that comes from living as an artist, the struggles you face just trying to keep the lights on: these issues have played a part in the defining moments of my life thus far and they’re central to the coming of age stories of each character in the documentary.