The Master of Poetic Lament
Wong Kar-wai's films rise above the inherent limitations of film genre and clichés of Eastern identity. His lonely characters search for meaning in neon-lit streets and bars, passive and often outsiders, their journeys are internal, affixing a sense of the personal to Hong Kong's commercial landscape.
Wong shifts focus in The Grandmaster to bridge the historically turbulent divide between China’s north and south, exploring themes of national identity, cultural heritage and Chinese diaspora.
Hong Kong-based researcher, curator and critic, Sam Ho, discusses how Wong imbues his fascination with the unresolved relationship into the martial arts genre, and the poetic sensibility of Chinese filmmaking.
“I hope it [The Grandmaster] will help people to realise what is actually in the roots of the Chinese mentality."
- Wong Kar-wai