wong kar-wai

Wong Kar-wai () (born July 17, 1958) is a Hong Kong film director. Born in Shanghai, China, he moved to Hong Kong with his parents at the age of five and graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic College in graphic design in 1980. After graduation, he enrolled in the Production Training Course organized by Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited and became a full-time scriptwriter. Between 1982 and 1987, he wrote about ten scripts, covering an array of genres from romantic comedy to action drama. Of these, he considered Final Victory (最後勝利; 1986 Patrick Tam) his best script. Since 1989, Wong Kar-wai has directed eight feature films and won numerous awards, including the best director's prize at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival for Happy Together. He was also one of the first film-makers in Hong Kong to establish his own independent production company, called Jet Tone Films Ltd. in English. Despite being a former scriptwriter, one of his trademarks as a director is that he works largely through improvisation and experimentation involving the actors and crew rather than adhering to a fixed script. This has caused him some trouble when the filming of In the Mood for Love had to be shifted from Beijing to Macau after Chinese authorities demanded to see the completed script. The time-consuming method can also be credited for Wong's films taking so long to complete, as well as his unique style. A running joke amongst the crew has been that he would finish his film 2046 in the year 2046. In 2001 Wong Kar-wai directed the short-film as part of the BMW films initiative. Wong Kar-wai's latest film is 2046, released in 2004.

Filmography

Feature films

Eros (2004) - segment The Hand
2046 (2004)
In the Mood for Love (2000)
Happy Together (1997)
Fallen Angels (1995)
Ashes of Time (1994)
Chungking Express (1994)
Days of Being Wild (1991)
As Tears Go By (1988)

Short films

Six Days (2002)
(2001)
Hua Yang de Nian Hua (2000)
wkw/tk/1996@7′55″ht.net (1996)

Awards

2004 European Film Awards, Screen International Award (2046)
2001 Csar Award, Best Foreign Film (In the Mood for Love)
2000 European Film Awards, Screen International Award (In the Mood for Love)
1997 Cannes Film Festival, Best Director (Happy Together)

External links

Official

What's This Wong Kar Wai?

Fansites

Articles

Interviews

Indiewire The "Mood" of Wong Kar-wai by Anthony Kaufman on In the Mood for Love
Astyle Feature Exclusive Interview on Happy Together
Bombsite Interview on In the Mood for Love by Liza Bear, who also talks about the director's unique visual flair
Mood Music Jonathan Romney talks to Wong Kar-wai about his latest film
Onion AV Club Interview on In the Mood for Love, 2046, and the acclaimed director's filmmaking experience and style
Sights and Sounds Tony Ryan's interview with Wong Kar-wai on film-making
TIMEasia - And The Winner Is... Interview with Wong Kar-wai on the release of In the Mood for Love, by Stephen Short
Urban Cinefile Feature Audio Interview with Wong Kar-wai, talking about In the Mood for Love, with Richard Kupier

Other

BMW Films

Wong Kar-wai