KinoCult presents: “Chungking Express” | Chungking Express (1994) by Wong Kar-wai

December 3 | 19:00 | Lumiere Cinema | English subtitles

Two policemen in Hong Kong experience the end of two different loves. One counts the days to May 1st through cans of pineapple, while the other talks to the objects in his apartment as if they too are suffering from the separation. A mysterious woman with a blonde wig and a dreamy employee at a small fast-food place, who listens to “California Dreamin’” over and over, appear between them.

From these two independent stories, Wong Kar-wai creates one of the defining films of the 90s - a blend of urban romance, crime film, and a portrait of loneliness amid the constant movement of Hong Kong.

“Chungking Express” is born almost impulsively. During a break from the lengthy work on “Ashes of Time,” Wong turns to something quick, contemporary, and free. According to BFI, the film was shot in just 23 days, and less than three months passed from the concept to its release.

Spontaneity permeates every part of the production. Wong wrote the second story in one day, and the apartment of policeman 663 is actually the home of cinematographer Christopher Doyle. The originally conceived third story was later developed into a separate film - “Fallen Angels” (1995).

Doyle and Andrew Lau's camera transforms the city into a stream of neon, slow motion, and blurred faces. Pop songs not only accompany the images but become part of the characters' memories - from “California Dreamin’” by The Mamas & the Papas to the Cantonese version of “Dreams” by The Cranberries performed by Faye Wong.

At the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1995, “Chungking Express” won awards for Best Film, Direction, Best Actor for Tony Leung Chiu-wai, and Editing. This is also the international breakthrough that makes Wong Kar-wai one of the defining figures in world cinema at the end of the 20th century.

director and screenwriter: Wong Kar-wai
starring: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Faye Wong, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Bridget Lin, Valerie Chow
cinematographers: Christopher Doyle, Andrew Lau
editing: William Chang, Hai Kit-wai, Kwong Chi-leung
production design: William Chang
music: Frankie Chan, Roel A. Garcia
runtime: 102 min.
languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and Japanese
subtitles: English