Deep Dive: The Cinema of Wong Kar-Wai With Matthew Fuller

Discover your newest binge and get to know our staff a little better with the Asia Society Texas team's favorite ways to stay entertained! Through our Deep Dive features, we take you on a journey into the interests of individual staff members for an in-depth look at an art form, genre, or pastime.

Meet Matthew

Matthew Fuller is Asia Society Texas' Director of Business and Policy and self-proclaimed Wong Kar-Wai film buff. When he’s not watching movies, you can find him enjoying coffee and tea, traveling, or listening to music.

Why I'm focusing on the cinema of Wong Kar-Wai

While most of my work at Asia Society involves conversations around global political or business topics, I’m highlighting Hong Kong auteur filmmaker Wong Kar-Wai (王家衛), or WKW, as he is affectionately referred to by his fans. During college I studied in Shenzhen, China, and frequently traveled to Hong Kong where I fell in love with Hong Kong cinema and especially the work of WKW.

Wong Kar-Wai is one of the most unique and imaginative filmmakers in the world. His films are characterized by a deep appreciation of beauty and the complex human condition, with stunning visuals and music that somehow seem to perfectly capture the unspoken essence of a scene. He often works without scripts in order to create a natural and dynamic atmosphere, and will start filming projects before he has even finalized the outline or end of a film. The process can be difficult, but the results speak for themselves. His films have captivated audiences for decades and influenced generations of filmmakers and artists.

What I'm currently enjoying

This spring marks the 25th anniversary of the release of WKW’s masterpiece In the Mood for Love. Set in 1962 Hong Kong, the film tells the story of two neighbors who begin to understand that they unknowingly share an intimate bond. The film is a beautiful meditation on love, loneliness, longing, and the lasting power of passing moments. WKW described the film as “two people dancing together slowly.”

True to WKW form, the story unfolds against stunning visual backgrounds and the soundtrack — which features Shigeru Umebayashi, Nat King Cole, and Zhou Xuan — acts almost as an audio script gently reminding the plot to continue. Actors and frequent WKW collaborators Maggie Cheung (張曼玉) and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai (梁朝偉) both shine in this film, with Leung winning Best Actor at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.

Though production of the film was delayed due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis and the movie was shot over a “grueling” 15-month period at locations in Hong Kong, Macau, and throughout Southeast Asia, the result was a stunning artistic triumph. The film was ranked number 5 on the 2022 British Film Institute’s Sight & Sound list of greatest films of all time.

Please join us for a free screening of In the Mood for Love at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 3!

What I find myself returning to again and again

While not entirely obvious, In the Mood for Love is actually the middle film of a loose trilogy. The first film in the series is Days of Being Wild (1990), which features an ensemble cast led by legendary actor and singer Leslie Cheung (張國榮) playing a young, disaffected playboy searching for his identity. The third movie in the trilogy is 2046 (2004), a time-bending dreamlike voyage again exploring themes of love, loneliness and belonging.

The Wong Kar-Wai cinematic universe that excites me

The unique aesthetics and atmosphere that WKW creates is so enchanting that it continues to influence filmmakers, artists, and singers around the world. Recent homages to WKW include scenes in the Academy Award-winning films Everything Everywhere All at Once and Moonlight, as well as the music video for K-Pop group Mamamoo’s hit song “Wind Flower.”

My wildcard recommendation

It’s certainly a challenge to write about WKW and not mention his classics Chungking Express and Happy Together, but my wildcard recommendation is actually his first feature film As Tears Go By.

While the film is a more traditional Hong Kong-style crime thriller and less of a WKW signature dreamscape, it’s no less compelling. Following the lives of two low-level Triads struggling to find their way in the 1980s Hong Kong underworld, the film is a gritty and complex ode to honor, ambition, love, and brotherhood and features a stellar cast including Maggie Cheung, Jacky Cheung (張學友), and Andy Lau (劉德華). In addition to their successful careers as actors, Jacky Cheung and Andy Lau are also iconic singers known throughout Asia and are two of the four “Heavenly Kings” of Cantopop.

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About APAH Month at Asia Society Texas

Beginning in 2021, Asia Society Texas has celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the Houston community and beyond through a curated calendar of events for 31 ways to celebrate over the 31 days of May. Spotlighting the traditions, talents, and contributions of Asians and Asian Americans, the calendar highlights the month's key Asia Society programming, providing a platform to showcase local artists, performers, educators, and leaders who contribute to the vibrant, multicultural tapestry of Houston while also featuring staff recommendations for our favorite music, books, movies, and more by Asian and Asian American creatives.

At Asia Society Texas, APAH Month is an opportunity to celebrate and honor Asians and Asian Americans and to uplift their stories to a broader audience as part of our goal to inspire our larger community to better understand one another through culture, conversation, and connection. For information about sponsoring APAH Month and other projects like this one, please contact Saleena Jafry at [email protected] or 713.496.9939.

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About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.