Wong Kar-Wai

Wong Kar-Wai

Was born 17 July 1958, years active 1982 – present. Born in Shanghai then moved to Hong Kong with his parents when he was five. While he was growing up new to the area he struggled with the langue of the Hong Kong province.

Later he went to Hong Kong Polytechnic College, where he studied graphic design. He then moved to a production training course organized by Hong Kong television broadcast limited (TVB) where he studied scriptwriting and then went on to become a full time script writer where he worked on eight different television projects. He then began working with Alan tang that owned the production house that celebrated on his first set of films, (Wong first film: As Tears Go Bye 1988).

It was during this time that Wong style took shape. Exceptional at ‘art’ films, they are different to Hong Kong normal films, he is able to capture commonality with broader genre: expresser intensity, exaggerated, facial expressions, reactions, gestures etc.

Wong belongs to the second New-Wave (Hong Kong) that belonged to the mid-1980s. Wong main themes that he covers in his films include: Identity and Hong Kong’s relation to China, history and the personal issues (directly or indirectly). Music is very prominent and a static element in all of Wong's work.

In Wong’s work the concept of the ‘moment’ is a crucial component of Wong's oeuvre, the notion of time is a pervading concept in all of Wong's films, capturing time is a constantly evident, his camera doting on specific moments and intent on finishing difference in repetition.

Points of note

-1st Chinese to win the Best Director Award at Cannes film Festival (1997)

-Director with the most films (6, all directed between 1989 to 2000) among the Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures, selected by Hong Kong Film Awards in celebration of 100 years of movies.

-Does not use detailed scripts for his films.

-He claims that the late Argentinean writer inspires his non-linear style of story telling Manuel Puig's
novel titled "The Buenos Aires Affair".




What members say | Filmography

Wong Kar-Wai - what members say

Wong Kar-Wai - filmography

5 most recent films

My Blueberry Nights - Blu-ray - 2.5 stars
My Blueberry Nights - 2.5 stars
2046 - 3.0 stars
In the Mood for Love - 3.5 stars
Happy Together - 3.0 stars

5 highest-rated films

Fallen Angels - 4.0 stars
In the Mood for Love - 3.5 stars
Chungking Express - 3.5 stars
Days of Being Wild - 3.0 stars
Happy Together - 3.0 stars

5 lowest-rated films

Fallen Angels - Blu-ray - 2.0 stars
My Blueberry Nights - 2.5 stars
My Blueberry Nights - Blu-ray - 2.5 stars
2046 - 3.0 stars
As Tears Go By - 3.0 stars

Most frequent co-stars

Maggie Cheung - 8 times - show films
Tony Leung - 5 times - show films
Andy Lau - 4 times - show films
Rebecca Pan - 4 times - show films
Jacky Cheung - 4 times - show films

Most frequent directors

Kar Wai Wong - 5 times - show films
Kar-Wai Wong - 2 times - show films
Wong Kar-wai - 1 times - show films