At the Hawaii International Film Festival (hiff.org) in November 2018, I met my favorite all-time filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai. A flood of emotions washed over me in the days that followed. Allow me to explain.
A “Disappearing” City: Urban Alienation on Film
I’ve been interested in Hong Kong since I was in high school, where I organized a debate with peers over whether the bustling cosmopolitan city should be handed over from British colonial rule to the People’s Republic of China. (It was less of a debate and more me ranting for two hours.)
That interest was bolstered when my college roommate, a graduate of Hong Kong International School, showed me my first Wong Kar-Wai film: Chungking Express. Here are some clips of Faye Wong, everyone’s favorite mid-90s Asian MPDG (although this label is inaccurate with her):
Wong’s films served as a cinematic postcard of sorts, beckoning me with a unique visual style, seductive music choices, and a guarantee that I will have my heart…
