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Tony Leung to take a break from working with Wong Kar-wai

From DBW:

At a press conference for THE GREAT MAGICIAN (DAI MOR SHOOK SI), actor Tony Leung revealed that he was taking a break from working with director Wong Kar-wai. Leung has been working on Wong Kar-wai’s THE GRANDMASTERS (YUT DOI JUNG SI) for over two years. For the role he has given a lot and was even injured on the production. He admitted that he would not work with Wong Kar-wai again for awhile.
THE GREAT MAGICIAN director Derek Yee Tung Sing revealed that Tony Leung once said that he would make five more movies then retire, but Leung denied that.
“I hope that my entire life is in acting, to have work at every stage.” Leung said that he would like more chances to make comedies. As soon as he said that people in attendance assumed this meant that he did not want to work with Wong Kar-wai who rarely made comedy films.
He said, “I just finished Wong Kar-wai’s movie, both of us are very tired and need a long time to recover. Maybe it will be a long, long while before we work together again. No one should be too concerned about me working with him, for now we wouldn’t.”
THE GRANDMASTERS is scheduled to be released in theaters in Summer/Autumn 2012 in China.

http://entertainment.dbw.cn/system/2012/01/09/053628545.shtml

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Korean star Song searching for seriousness

From AFP:

Song Hye-kyo, one of Asia’s biggest female stars thanks to a wildly popular television series, on Saturday said she is determined to match her success in romantic comedies with more serious roles.
“I want the roles I now play to be very different. I am trying to find very different and unique roles to play,” said Song, speaking on the sidelines of the 16th Busan International Film Festival (BIFF).
The 28-year-old South Korean, whose face is plastered on billboards across the region, said the parts she was now choosing were designed to be more challenging.
That’s certainly the case with Song’s latest film role.
In the Lee Jeong-hyang directed drama “A Reason to Live” — making its world premiere at BIFF — Song plays a young woman forced through tragedy to question the rights and wrong of capital punishment.
It is a step change from the bright and breezy romantic comedies that made her name.

The actress is also currently helping acclaimed Hong Kong director Wong Kar Wai piece together his long-awaited martial arts epic “The Grandmasters“, a biopic of Ip Man, the man who taught Bruce Lee how to fight.
Both films had presented unique challenges, the actress said.
“In person I am a very calm character and in Wong Kar Wai’s film, I have to be very active,” said Song.
“I have to use my body and I am still learning how to be more physical. In director Lee’s film I have to express my feelings more than I normally do. I have to use my facial expressions.”
The actress said she had found that though the two directors were known for very different styles of films — Wong is an arthouse darling while Lee favours more gritty material — she had found they had a common touch.
“They are both very delicate when it comes to actors in that they give very detailed directions,” she said.

Song began her career on Korean television and soon became a household favourite across Asia thanks to series such as “Full House”, where she played opposite the Korean singing and acting sensation Rain.
Big screen success has been harder to come by but that hasn’t stopped the actress picking up a string of lucrative commercial endorsements.
And while film fans have been kept in the dark about when Wong’s film might be released — it has now been almost a decade in the making — Song said they would not have to wait for too much longer.
“We are still shooting because Wong Kar Wai is not usually a fast director,” she said. “But I think the film will be released in the next year.”

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New Trailer Primes The Grandmasters

From China Daily:

Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai’s latest film, The Grandmasters, recently released a second trailer – 18 months after filming started and 10 years after the director conceived the movie.

The one-minute trailer, set on a street, on a dark, rainy night, depicts a battle between lead actor Tony Leung and about 20 kungfu artists.

In a black gown and white hat, Leung transforms his signature gentlemanly manners to kick and punch like a street fighter. The scene is a nod to Keanu Reeves in The Matrix and Christian Bale in The Dark Knight.

The film’s first trailer, released in December 2010, is just a play of light, shadow and Chinese calligraphy, without any actors.

Leung plays the late kungfu master Ip Man, known for his wing chun style, a form of Chinese martial arts.

Leung, the Lust, Caution and In the Mood for Love star, practiced wing chun for about two years. A disciple of Ip trained him and even adjusted his diet.

Ip has been a favored topic of the Chinese film industry in recent years. There have been at least three films about the legendary martial artist, whose students included Bruce Lee. The most popular incarnation of the martial arts legend is by Donnie Yen, star of Iron Monkey and The New Dragon Gate Inn. In two Ip biopics, Yen portrays the kungfu master as a loving husband and passionate patriot.

Wong’s film will not focus just on Ip, but a group of kungfu masters of his time. He has put together a stellar cast, including Zhang Ziyi, South Korean star Song Hye-kyo, comedian Zhao Benshan and his protg Xiao Shenyang.

Though kungfu fans have been looking forward to the release of the film for some time, Wong has prolonged shooting, as he often does. Leung even took a break to take the lead in another movie, The Great Magician, which will be released in December.

Sil-Metropole Organization, the film’s production company, says filming has been completed and the director is working on post-production. But a release date has still not been given.

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The Grandmasters Trailer Profiled

From ChineseFilms:

Director Wong Kar Wai’s upcoming Kung Fu blockbuster, “The Grandmasters,” recently released its first promotional trailer.

Tony Leung Chiu Wai portrays Yip Man, master of the Wing Chun martial art, and is seen in the trailer fighting against a gang of street thugs. It’s the first time for Tony Leung to play the role of a Kung Fu master but his performance has received much acclaim following the release of the preview. Audiences commented that, “Leung is very cool in the movie.”

The real Kung Fu master, Wang Man also said he was surprised after seeing the trailer: “I never thought Leung could be that good. The power of his movement shows that this is a person who can manage real Kung Fu.”

Director Wong Kar Wai arrived in Beijing to arrange the preview of the trailer. Xue Liming, spokesman for the movie, unveiled the reason behind showing the trailer prior to the screening of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”, saying that cinemas will upgrade their equipment for increased sound and screen light performance. “We want the audience to experience the best visual and sound effects possible during the preview.”

Xue also mentioned that the movie is set against the backdrop of the Kung Fu world during the Republican Period. There will be other Kung Fu masters and schools making appearances in the movie.

“The Grandmasters” also features South Korean actress Song Hye Kyo and Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi. It has been slated for a December release.

Xue promises that “The Grandmasters” will set a new standard for Chinese film.

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The Grandmasters Teaser Trailer Plus New Stills

The new teaser trailer for Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmasters:

Mandarin version:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvdh7VkLciA]

Cantonese version:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJTQj12cTKw]

Wong Kar-Wai was spotted outside of a Beijing theater and media members got wind of it and rushed over. It was learned to be a secret test screening of a one minute trailer for “The Grandmasters”. Audience members were overheard chatting among themselves afterwards about it and reporters learned that they had signed confidentiality agreements.
http://ent.sina.com.cn/m/c/2011-07-19/01413362921.shtml

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Fortissimo Sells Wong Kar-wai’s ‘The Grandmasters’ to Japan

Fortissimo Films has sold Wong Kar-wai’s hotly-anticipated martial arts epic ‘The Grandmasters’ to Gaga Corporation for Japan.

Fortissimo is handling select territories retained by Wong’s Jet Tone Films, including Japan, Korea and India, while Fortissimo chairman Michael J. Werner is serving as associate producer and consultant. The deal was brokered by Fortissimo’s executive vice president, Sales and Acquisitions, Winnie Lau with Gaga chairman Tom Yoda and operating officer for acquisition Satomi Odake.

Wong said “In my conversations with Yoda-san and his team, I came to recognise the tremendous appreciation and passion that they had for my work and for this genre, we are pleased to have them introducing the film to the Japanese audience.” Yoda said: “We are very confident that we can push a new frontier for Chinese films in the Japanese market with this title.”

Wong recently completed principal photography in China on the $25m film which stars Tony Leung, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen.

http://www.screendaily.com/territories/asia-pacific/fortissimo-sells-wong-kar-wais-grandmasters-to-japan/5027263.article

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The Grandmasters Scheduled to Wrap in Mid-May

The martial arts film “The Grandmasters” will be in the can in mid-May.

South Korean Actress Song Hye Kyo recently flew to China to complete her part in the film, according to South Korean media. Directed by Wong Kar-wai, the film is an biographical one based on the story of kung fu star Bruce Lee’s master, Yip Man. Song Hye Kyo plays the role of Yip Man’s wife.

The film also features other A-list stars, including Hong Kong actor Tony Leung and mainland China actress Zhang Ziyi. Director Wong, who is known for long shooting periods, started filming “The Grandmasters” in 2009.

http://www.chinesefilms.cn/1/2011/05/06/141s2967.htm

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Wong Kar-Wai on Alan Tang: He Will Always Be My Big Brother

Twenty years ago it was Alan Tang who invested in Wong Kar Wai‘s film Days of Being Wild, which solidified his position as a leading director in the film industry. Yesterday, WKW accepted an interview and spoke highly of his old boss. “He has always been my big brother and will always remain as my big brother. In my eyes, he was healthy and always in good spirits. When I heard the news of his passing, it came as a shock to me.” WKW says that Alan Tang was a good boss and a good friend. “He was the first person who encouraged me to become a director. He would also take time to share his experience in filmmaking. My thoughts are with his family during this time.”

Rebecca Pan also took part in Days of Being Wild. She says, “I didn’t know him very well. However, because Lydia Shum and I are both Shanghainese, we would occasionally meet up with everyone, including Alan Tang and his wife. I remember having conservations with him.” She says that life has many strange coincidences. Just two days ago she took part in an event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the release of Days of Being Wild. Now it’s hard to believe that the film’s producer and its biggest benefactor is no longer here.

Days of Being Wild was a film from the 90’s. Just prior to that film, WKW and Alan Tang had collaborated together on the film As Tears Go By, which was a box office hit. Alan Tang decided to invest $40 million HKD into both Part 1 & 2 of Days of Being Wild. However, the film flopped at the box office and Part 2 was put on hold indefinitely. Surprisingly, critics loved the film and it garnered numerous film awards, including a Best Director Award for WKW. Alan Tang once spoke of his investment in the film. “If I had invested my money in stocks instead, I would have been a billionaire. However, I never once regretted my decision.”

http://ol.mingpao.com/cfm/Archive1.cfm?File=20110331/saa01/mbd1.txt

Alan Tang died on 29 March 2011 from a stroke.