According to Chinese astrology, this is the Year of the Rabbit. Rabbits are good listeners, kind and sweet by nature, and are therefore often sought out as popular and trusted friends.
Articulate and talented, with a good eye for art, design, and fashion, they like to surround themselves with beautiful things. In other words, Rabbits make excellent film directors!
With the Year of the Rabbit in mind, the Chinese New Year serves as a perfect opportunity to acknowledge this rich 5,000-year-old heritage. This culture has been depicted in films that illustrate its mystical nature, where trained spiritual cultivators have spectacular supernatural powers and great warriors display unfathomable martial arts technique.
Perhaps the greatest example of this action genre is Ang Lee’s tour de force, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
Stephen Chow’s 2004 action-comedy “Kung Fu Hustle” takes a more humorous approach. Chow also directed, produced, and starred in the film.
Stories centering on complex relationships against a sweeping historical context are “Farewell My Concubine” by Kaige Chen, and the powerful and disturbing “Raise the Red Lantern” by Zhang Yimou.
“The Wedding Banquet,” another classic from Ang Lee, powerfully depicts tradition colliding with modern life. Focusing his lens on relationships in modern-day China, director Wong Kar-Wai is known for “Chungking Express” and the elegant “In the Mood for Love.”
Exposing the troubled aspect of society in contemporary China is Michael Mahonen’s award-winning indie about the persecution of Falun Gong , “Sandstorm.”
The Year of the Rabbit is traditionally associated with artistic pursuits, and we hope for more magnificent films about China this coming year.
Articulate and talented, with a good eye for art, design, and fashion, they like to surround themselves with beautiful things. In other words, Rabbits make excellent film directors!
With the Year of the Rabbit in mind, the Chinese New Year serves as a perfect opportunity to acknowledge this rich 5,000-year-old heritage. This culture has been depicted in films that illustrate its mystical nature, where trained spiritual cultivators have spectacular supernatural powers and great warriors display unfathomable martial arts technique.
Perhaps the greatest example of this action genre is Ang Lee’s tour de force, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”
Stephen Chow’s 2004 action-comedy “Kung Fu Hustle” takes a more humorous approach. Chow also directed, produced, and starred in the film.
Stories centering on complex relationships against a sweeping historical context are “Farewell My Concubine” by Kaige Chen, and the powerful and disturbing “Raise the Red Lantern” by Zhang Yimou.
“The Wedding Banquet,” another classic from Ang Lee, powerfully depicts tradition colliding with modern life. Focusing his lens on relationships in modern-day China, director Wong Kar-Wai is known for “Chungking Express” and the elegant “In the Mood for Love.”
Exposing the troubled aspect of society in contemporary China is Michael Mahonen’s award-winning indie about the persecution of Falun Gong , “Sandstorm.”
The Year of the Rabbit is traditionally associated with artistic pursuits, and we hope for more magnificent films about China this coming year.
