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Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai finds success easier abroad
2006-05-12
Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai poses during a photo call at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival for the film '2046', which appeared poised to bring China its first triumph in the prestigious Palme d'Or prize. |
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Chinese director Wong Kar-wai has proved a revelation in the Hong Kong cinema world known for its bloody gangster and martial arts flicks, yet his unique style has won him more fans overseas than at home. The 48-year-old auteur, who this month becomes the first Chinese filmmaker to head the jury at the Cannes film festival, has won praise for his stunning visual style and sensual art films as well as a clutch of international awards. He was the first Chinese to win the best director award at Cannes in 1997 for "Happy Together", the tale of a strained relationship between two Chinese gay lovers living in Buenos Aires. But it was his later film "In The Mood For Love" released in 2000 which earned him wider international plaudits, nominated for a Golden Palm at Cannes and going on to earn some 2.7 million dollars at the US box office. Despite the global recognition, Wong's films are hardly box-office hits back home, where the local media prefers to dwell on his reputation for being eccentric and laborious, working without a script or even sometimes a plot outline. "His films don't do so well in the local box office. Most of them watch Wong Kar-wai's film and don't understand what he's trying to say," said local critic Shum Longtin. Wong, who is always seen in his trademark dark glasses, has in turn criticised local audiences for a lack of curiosity. "It's not about whether a film is fast-paced or not ... They just say 'I don't get it'. They are not hungry," he once said. Born in Shanghai, Wong moved to Hong Kong when he was five. Despite no formal training, he enrolled in a television drama training program after graduating from a local college in graphic design in 1980. He later worked as a production assistant before becoming a TV scriptwriter. Wong made his directorial debut in 1988 with "As Tears Go By" which was shown in Cannes. His 1990 follow-up "Days of Being Wild" regularly tops local critics' polls of the best films ever made despite being a financial failure. International praise was heaped on the 1994 "Chungking Express", a quirky romantic comedy that Quentin Tarantino liked so much that he selected it as the first product of his Rolling Thunder distribution company. "Personally, I think he is the best director in Hong Kong's history because of the technical skills and artistic achievements in his films," critic Shum said. Wong is highly regarded for his ability to bring out the best in his actors, making international stars out of Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Maggie Cheung, while his partnership with cinematographer Christopher Doyle has been another key to his success. "You can see Maggie Cheung's acting was totally transformed after 'As Tears Go By'. He knows how to turn mediocre actors into international stars," Shum said. Former beauty queen Cheung won best actress at Cannes in 2004 for her role as a junkie rock star in ex-husband Olivier Assayas's "Clean". Actors, however, temper their praise of Wong with frustration over his methods. After it took five years to complete the futuristic love epic "2046", which was shown at Cannes in 2004, star Leung described the process as torture. Still, that has not put off Hollywood heavyweight Nicole Kidman and multiple Grammy-award winner Norah Jones who are to star in his upcoming and first English-speaking films: "The Lady from Shanghai" and "My Blueberry Nights".
Cannes readies 60th awards night (2007-05-25)New wealth buys makeovers in China (2007-03-10)Hong Kong auteur Wong Kar-wai finds success easier abroad (2006-05-12)Tony Leung: A very private film star (2006-03-20)Hong Kong screen stars line-up for showbiz extravaganza (2006-03-17)
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