May You Stay Forever Young

YY decides to take her own life because she feels hopeless after witnessing police brutality during the protests and experiencing the trauma of arrest. She believes her death could prove the significance of the protests to the government, writing in her suicide note that her sacrifice would demonstrate the importance of their cause.

YY's despair builds after her friend Ho decides to migrate away, leaving her feeling increasingly isolated.

Ho decides to leave Hong Kong shortly after being arrested during the Sheung Wan protest, where she witnessed a fellow protester being sexually assaulted by police. She blames YY for encouraging her to stay after the peaceful rallies, and the traumatic experience motivates her to escape the escalating violence.

During the Sheung Wan protest on 21 July 2019, YY and Ho are arrested together. While in custody, they witness a fellow protester being sexually assaulted by the police, a traumatic event that deepens their fear and distrust of the authorities and sets the emotional tone for the entire story.

The brutality they witness foreshadows the later police confrontation where Zoe is sexually molested.

The group finds YY through a coordinated search effort: Bao, a social worker, assesses she may act within eight hours; Mr. Burnism calls for help on Telegram; Bell asks a delivery man who recognizes YY; Ho finally provides YY's exact address after being contacted by Bao. They then follow a social media selfie clue showing YY with a doll to a claw machine arcade before the doll leads them to the rooftop.

Louis blames Nam because after the police confrontation in the alley, several group members were arrested (Zoe and Bao) and Fai was badly beaten. Louis believes Nam's decisions during the police encounter led to these consequences, causing a rift in their group dynamic.

Undercover police detain the group in an alley after their loud discussions at the claw machine arcade attract attention. During the takedown, Zoe is sexually molested by the officers. Mr. Burnism escapes by ambushing the police, allowing Nam, Bell, and Louis to flee, while Fai is badly beaten and Zoe and Bao are arrested.

Despite the group's desperate efforts to persuade YY not to jump, she leaps off the rooftop building. At the last moment, Nam grabs her arm, followed by Bell and Ho, but it remains unclear from the summary whether they successfully pull her back up or if she falls. The film ends on this ambiguous cliffhanger with the tragic outcome strongly implied.

YY's suicide note is addressed to her father and declares her intention to prove the significance of the protests through her death. She believes her sacrifice will demonstrate to the government the importance of their movement, showing how deeply her political despair has merged with her personal hopelessness.

This belief that death could accomplish something for Hong Kong directly connects to the group's final arguments on the rooftop.

After the police confrontation leaves some arrested and others beaten, Louis decides to lead Mr. Burnism away to join the protests at Chater Road, rejecting Nam's leadership. This division reflects the mounting stresses within the protest movement and the group fracturing under pressure, forcing Nam to continue the rescue attempt with fewer allies.

The doll becomes a crucial clue when Mr. Burnism notices YY posted a selfie with a doll on social media. The group heads to a claw machine arcade where a customer reveals YY left an hour earlier. Later, they spot the same doll dropped near an adjacent building, which leads them directly to the rooftop where YY is preparing to jump.

Nam confesses to Bell that YY was arrested while trying to help him after he was shot with a rubber bullet during the protests. This personal connection to YY's trauma adds to his desperation to save her, as he feels responsible for her current state.

Bao, the social worker, explains that people experiencing suicidal thoughts often act within eight hours. This urgent timeframe drives the entire race against time, forcing the group to search frantically across Hong Kong before it's too late.