It's Nostalgia in the Future - 5/21/2001

[Sandy]

'It's Nostalgia in the Future'
Wong Kar-wai on his next film, and Asia's next wave

May 21 '01
Newsweek International

Wearing a polo shirt and jeans, Wong Kar-wai is at work in his Hong Kong office, studying footage for his upcoming movie, "2046." Set in Hong Kong, Seoul and Thailand and featuring stars from Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and Japan, it is a leading example of the emergence of Pan-Asian film productions. After taking a drag on his cigarette, the 42-year-old director, known for award-winning films including "In the Mood for Love" and "Fallen Angels," took time out to discuss the future of Asian film with NEWSWEEK's Gregory Beals.

Wong on why Asian films are so hot now:
The center of filmmaking has again shifted. Japanese cinema was the main supplier for international art houses. As Asia as a whole becomes more important, its cinema is also getting more attention. European and American critics and audiences are in the process of discovering them.

On "2046":
The idea of the film came in 1997. In those days just before the handover, the Chinese government promised 50 years without change. In the film there is a place called 2046, because after 50 years there will be no places, only numbers. It will be a utopia. There in 2046 they think nothing will change. The film is set in the future, but it's more about now. I want to talk about people trying to preserve something that they have inside, but they are afraid what they have will be lost. It's nostalgia happening in the future.

On why he chose a Pan-Asian cast:
The plot has people from different parts of the world exploring this place 2046. This is the first time I will work with actors from such different parts of the world.

On logistics for Pan-Asian films:
Each of the countries has its own rules. You have to understand people. In Japan everything is very precise and in good order. The talent management is very involved in the process of making a film. In Hong Kong it is more spontaneous.

On whether cross-border productions are the future of Asian cinema:
I believe so. Our films are no longer bound by the local markets. With the decline of the Asian economy, we must discover new ways of financing movies and new audiences.

On why "In the Mood for Love," which is set in 1960s Hong Kong, was filmed in Thailand:
Hong Kong has become very expensive for making films. The city has changed so fast. We had a meeting with the government recently. We have to preserve something of this city or else it will become too boring to shoot a film in. "In the Mood for Love" had to be shot in Bangkok because the locations we were looking for no longer exist in Hong Kong.