Archive of films Grandmaster / Yi dai zong shi

Hong Kong / China / USA
2013, 120 min

Section: Horizons
Year: 2013

Director Wong Kar-wai portrays the legendary Chinese martial arts master Yip Man as a person whose life and actions express the philosophy and pure physical elegance of kung fu. This visually opulent film tells the story of the lost world of the last grandmasters, combining painstakingly rendered elements of classic kung fu movies with the poetic art-house style typical of the director’s previous films. Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi appear in the leads.

Synopsis

In the hands of Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai, legendary Chinese martial arts master Yip Man (1893-1972) is transformed into a person whose life and actions express the philosophy and pure physical elegance of kung fu. Although the film focuses on Yip Man’s life during the period 1930 to 1952, it does not limit itself to its main protagonist but also looks at other kung fu grandmasters of the era, including their relationships, loves and conflicts. Yip Man leaves his native Foshan in southern China for Hong Kong and must not only face other martial arts icons but also confront the turmoil of war and fated love.… In this visually opulent film, Wong Kar-wai tells the story of the lost world of the last grandmasters, combining painstakingly rendered elements of classic kung fu movies with the poetic art-house style typical of his previous works. The film, which is built upon a poetically loose perception of time and space, stars Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Zhang Ziyi.

About the director

Wong Kar-wai (b. 1958, Shanghai) has built up a reputation over the past two decades as a distinctive filmmaker with an idiosyncratic modern style and artistic sensibility whose films always garner attention at international festivals. This description can be applied to his directorial debut as well, the gangster drama As Tears Go By (Wong gok ka moon, 1988). His other award-winning films include Days of Being Wild (A Fei jing juen, 1990), the historical drama Ashes of Time (Dung che sai duk, 1994), the cult romance Chungking Express (Chonqing senlin, 1994), the crime story Fallen Angels (Duo luo tianshi, 1995), the love story Happy Together (Chung gwong cha sit, 1997 – Best Director at Cannes), the nostalgic romance In the Mood for Love (Dut yeung nin wa, 2000), the sci-fi movie 2046 (2004 – European Film Award), the omnibus film Eros (2004), and the romantic comedy My Blueberry Nights (2007).

Contacts

Wild Bunch
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Tel: +33 143 132 164
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.wildbunch.biz

Hollywood Classic Entertainment
Psohlavců 8, 147 00, Praha 4
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 226 224 111
Fax: +420 226 224 110
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.hce.cz

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About the film

Color, DCP

Section:	Horizons

Director:	Wong Kar-wai
Screenplay:	Wong Kar-Wai, Zou Jingzhi, Xu Haofeng
Dir. of Photography:	Philippe Le Sourd
Music:	Shigeru Umebayashi, Nathaniel Mechaly
Editor:	William Chang
Producer:	Wong Kar-wai, Jacky Pang Yee Wah
Production:	Jet Tone Productions, Sil-Metropole Organisation
Cast:	Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen
Contact:	Wild Bunch, Hollywood Classic Entertainment
Distributor:	Hollywood Classic Entertainment

Guests

Lucie Mazůrková

Distributor

Alain de la Mata

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