Hou’s most successful film in Taiwan is a complex, panoramic and politically bold family saga beautifully shot by Chen Huai-En. Set at the time of the formation of modern Taiwan, between the end of World War II and Nationalist China’s fall to the Communists in 1949, it is the director’s most ambitious and expansive work. The film’s remarkable dramatic thrust lies in its constant evocation of the precariousness of its characters’ lives, as well as its status as the first movie to openly deal with the 'white terror' unleashed by the Kuomintang government. Starring Leung and Jack Kao.
35mm print courtesy of the National Film and Sound Archive, Australia.
Also screening on Wed 5 April
Program
Crying on the Inside: The empathetic stardom of Tony Leung Chiu-Wai
Flowers of Shanghai (1998) – Wed 22 Mar, 7pm
Hero (2002) – Wed 22 Mar, 9.10pm
In the Mood for Love (2000) – Wed 29 Mar, 7pm
Lust, Caution (2007) – Wed 29 Mar, 8.55pm
A City of Sadness (1989) – Wed 5 Apr, 6.30pm
Cyclo (1995) – Wed 5 Apr, 9.30pm
About the program
Quiet and introspective as a child and outcast by his parents’ separation, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai (1962–) never aspired to much. In 1982, whilst working as an appliance salesman, Leung was encouraged to take up acting by his childhood friend, Stephen Chow...
Plan your visit
Read our COVIDSafe visitor guidelines, information on accessibility, amenities, transport, dining options and more.
About Melbourne Cinémathèque
Australia's longest-running film society, Melbourne Cinémathèque screens significant works of international cinema in the medium they were created, the way they would have originally screened.
Melbourne Cinémathèque is self-administered, volunteer-run, not-for-profit and membership-driven.
