Film fans will be able to immerse themselves in the ravishing, dreamlike WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI on the big screen this July, with a complete retrospective of the Hong Kong master filmmakers presented by the BFI and the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA), in partnership with Janus Films. This complete retrospective will take place at BFI Southbank and the ICA from 7-31 July and will include 7 brand-new 4K restorations, 5 of which have been overseen by Wong Kar Wai himself. With his lush and sensual visuals, pitch-perfect soundtracks, and soulful romanticism, Wong Kar Wai has established himself as one of the defining auteurs of contemporary cinema. Titles screening will include offbeat love story CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994), breathtaking romance IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (2000), alluring period drama 2046 (2004), thrilling historical biopic THE GRANDMASTER (2013) and many more. Whether tragically romantic, soaked in blood, or quirkily comedic, the films in this retrospective are an invitation into the unique and wistful world of a deeply influential artist, whose work reminds us that there's always beauty even in our heartache and despair.
7 BRAND-NEW 4K RESTORATIONS
Wong's impressive debut AS TEARS GO BY (1988) may seem like a conventional Hong Kong triad drama on the surface, but this brooding crime drama about a disillusioned gangster torn between a new love and old loyalties, has the beating heart of a romance, offering glimpses of what would become the director's distinctive signature style. Wong's sophomore film DAYS OF BEING WILD (1990), ties together his favourite themes of time, memory and rejection in a hypnotic drama. Leslie Cheung gives a magnificent performance as a rakish playboy in the 1960s searching for identity while callously breaking hearts; joined by a spectacular cast of Hong Kong's biggest stars, including Carina Lau, Maggie Cheung and Andy Lau, this is a poignant snapshot of youthful restlessness. DAYS OF BEING WILD was also the first collaboration between Wong Kar Wai and cinematographer Christopher Doyle, whose saturated colours, neon lights and slow motion sequences also permeate CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994), HAPPY TOGETHER (1997), IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (2000) and 2046 (2002). Shot off-the-cuff in 23 days, CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994) is a bright and breezy comedy that marked Wong's international breakthrough. Composed of intersecting love stories about two broken-hearted policemen and the women they fall for, it's funny, breathlessly inventive and dizzyingly romantic. Gorgeous cinematography, superb acting and a killer soundtrack make this an exhilarating watch. Initially developed as part of CHUNGKING EXPRESS, FALLEN ANGELS (1995) shares a similar freewheeling spirit but is a much darker and moodier affair, exploring the nocturnal lives of assassins, femme fatales and mute ex-cons. Shot with frenetic verve, it's a stylish drama laced with quirky humour that glimmers with the neon magic of Hong Kong at night. In HAPPY TOGETHER (1997) a gay couple, played by Tony Leung and Leslie Cheung, take a trip to Buenos Aires, which reveals the dark side of love as they struggle with jealousy, co-dependency and possessiveness. Wong's masterpiece IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (2000) is a heart-breaking story of illicit love that pulses with the ache and agony of repressed desire. Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung are searingly charismatic as neighbours in 1960s Hong Kong who start falling for each other after they discover their spouses are having an affair. A sequel of sorts to IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, 2046 (2004) delves into the pain of romantic heartache and the emotional wreckage it leaves behind. Combining period nostalgia with science fiction, this is a visually stunning and beguiling exploration of loss, regret and relationships.
As Tears Go By
SCREENING AT BFI SOUTHBANK: WED 7 JUL 14:30 NFT1 / SAT 17 JUL 20:30 NFT2 / MON 19 JUL 20:45 NFT1
SCREENING AT ICA: WED 7 JUL 18:30 / THU 8 JUL 13:45
Days of Being Wild
SCREENING AT BFI SOUTHBANK: THU 8 JUL 20:50 NFT1 / MON 12 JUL 14:30 NFT1 / MON 19 JUL 18:00 NFT1
SCREENING AT ICA: THU 8 JUL 18:30 / FRI 9 JUL 13:45
Chungking Express
SCREENING AT BFI SOUTHBANK: SAT 10 JUL 18:15 NFT1 / MON 12 JUL 20:50 NFT1 / TUE 20 JUL 20:45 NFT1 / THU 29 JUL 14:30
NFT1
Ashes of Time
SCREENING AT BFI SOUTHBANK: SAT 10 JUL 11:20 NFT1 / WED 21 JUL 20:45 NFT1/ FRI 30 JUL 20:45 NFT1
SCREENING AT ICA: FRI 16 JUL 20:45 / SAT 17 JUL 12:30
Fallen Angels
SCREENING AT BFI SOUTHBANK: FRI 9 JUL 20:50 NFT1 / WED 14 JUL 14:30 NFT1 / SUN 25 JUL 18:30 NFT1
SCREENING AT ICA: SAT 10 JUL 12:20 / SUN 11 JUL 20:45
Happy Together
SCREENING AT BFI SOUTHBANK: SUN 11 JUL 15:40 NFT3 / FRI 16 JUL 14:30 NFT1 / FRI 23 JUL 18:10 NFT1
SCREENING AT ICA: SUN 11 JUL 13:30 / TUE 13 JUL 13:20
In the Mood for Love
SCREENING AT BFI SOUTHBANK: WED 14 JUL 20:45 NFT1 / SAT 17 JUL 13:30 NFT1 / WED 21 JUL 14:30 NFT1 / THU 29 JUL 20:45
NFT1
SCREENING AT ICA: SUN 11 JUL 18:40 / WED 14 JUL 14:20
The Hand (Extended Cut)
SCREENING AT BFI SOUTHBANK: THU 22 JUL 18:30 NFT3 / FRI 30 JUL 18:20 NFT2
SCREENING AT ICA: THU 15 JUL 17:00
2046
SCREENING AT BFI SOUTHBANK: THU 15 JUL 20:20 NFT1 / SAT 17 JUL 16:10 NFT1 / SAT 31 JUL 14:30 NFT3
SCREENING AT ICA: WED 14 JUL 20:50
My Blueberry Nights
AT BFI SOUTHBANK: FRI 23 JUL 20:50 NFT3 / WED 28 JUL 20:40 NFT3
SCREENING AT ICA: THU 13 JUL 18:30
The Grandmaster
AT BFI SOUTHBANK: TUE 20 JUL 18:00 NFT3 / THU 22 JUL 20:50 NFT1 / MON 26 JUL 20:50 NFT1
SCREENING AT ICA: SAT 17 JUL 18:20 / SUN 18 JUL 12:30
You can find more info on the official websites of BFI and ICA
