The project was greenlit in 2019 as part of the First Feature Film Initiative, with rewrites occurring in 2020 and principal photography taking place in 2021, primarily at Chiu Yang Por Yen Primary School.

The film opens with a child named Cheng Yau-kit, who aspires to become a teacher, sitting despairingly on the rooftop of a condo.

He reports it to the headmaster, but the vice principal advises him to ignore it to avoid affecting the students' preparation for the upcoming university entrance exams.

Back in the present, it is revealed that the teacher Cheng is actually Yau-chun, who has not communicated with his father for a long time, blaming him for his brother's death.

[5] Director and writer Nick Cheuk originally penned the screenplay in 2015, based on the death of a close friend and university classmate.

[6][7] He later made revisions to the script, altering certain aspects of his friend's experiences to delve into the concerning phenomenon of student suicides in Hong Kong.

In 2020, Derek Yee returned to Hong Kong after filming in Mongolia and joined Cheuk in revising the script.

[8] Cheuk retitled the film as Time Still Turns the Pages, drawing inspiration from the lyrics of Avenged Sevenfold's "So Far Away".

[19] Time Still Turns the Pages had its world premiere in the Asian New Talent section of the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival on 11 June 2023.

[25] Time Still Turns the Pages initially grossed approximately 1.93 million Hong Kong dollars during its first weekend, not making it to the top three at the box office.

[32] Mátin Cheung of The Student gave the film 4/5 stars and acknowledged Cheuk's thoughtful utilization of a complex narrative structure to reveal the harsh realities of Hong Kong's ailing education system and suffocating household atmosphere, while simultaneously challenging audience biases, showcasing the talent of the new generation of Hong Kong filmmakers.

[33] Phuong Le of The Guardian gave the film 3/5 stars, praising director Nick Cheuk's sensitive portrayal of taboo topics like childhood abuse and academic pressure, as the film skillfully explored a debilitating cycle of trauma through the intertwined stories of a high school teacher and a young boy.

[34] Alan Chu of United Daily News also found the film to powerfully address themes of personal and societal trauma through its intricate storytelling and emotional depth, making it a poignant reflection on contemporary Hong Kong.

[36] Estella Huang of Mirror Media perceived the film as a profound and emotionally resonant work, exploring melancholic childhoods and the limitations of education with depth and nuance through the adept navigation of Cheuk.