Stanley Kwan (1957)

Born in Hong Kong, Stanley Kwan is a very underrated director, author of several cinematographic gems, like “Center Stage”, “Red Rose, White Rose”, “Red”, “Everlasting Regret”… Openly gay – one of the few directors to have come out in Asia – he directed “Lan Yu”, in 2001. A love story between to men, set in the Beijin of the Tian An Men’s square events (a whole scene in the movie, happens during the repression). Really at ease, with the world of elegance and nostalgia of the 30′s & 40′s, I discovered him during a Chinese Festival, where “Center Stage” was projected, with the beautiful Maggie Cheung in one of her earliest role. “Red Rose, White Rose”, is also one of my favorite. I have more difficulties with “Lan Yu”. Based on the cult novel, published on the internet by a Chinese living in the US, “Beijing Story”, there is something in this movie that I really don’t get. The subject was brought to Kwan by his producer. He confided later having had difficulties with the melodramatic plot, the very explicit sex scenes and had to find a way, to get involved in the story. The whole movie is very formal, with a display of technical effects, which tends to show that he seized the opportunity to try things and experiment, rather than immerse himself into a story he perhaps had no real interest with… Kwan has always confessed his admiration for directors like Fassbinder, Ozu, Wenders but also Truffaut, Rohmer, Bresson… His sensible side is balanced with a formal quest, as if he was fighting against his deep emotions. Frightened perhaps of a classification, as a director of the past and of women. Judged only on aesthetical bases. When he evidently wants to conquer a place in the contemporean world also.