When
Wed 5 Apr 2023
Tran’s dreamy, expressionistic ode to neorealism and Wong Kar-Wai, shot on location in Saigon and riffing on the plot of De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves, casts Leung as a poet moonlighting as a gangster and in love with the sister of the titular orphaned hero. While not the preeminent showcase of his acting talent – Leung spoke no Vietnamese and learned his minimal dialogue phonetically – Tran and cinematographer Benoît Delhomme utilise his dark, brooding interiority to lend a captivating glamour to his enigmatic villain, completely stealing the film from its putative, non-actor lead.
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
A Chinese Ghost Story III (1991) – Wed 29 Mar, 8.55pm
Hard Boiled (1992) – Wed 5 Apr, 7pm
Cyclo (1995) – Wed 5 Apr, 9.20pm
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 (Shaolin Soccer)...
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.
