Dir: Stanley Kwan
Scrs: Chiu Kang-chien, Zhong Ah-cheng
Cast: Siqin Gaowa, Sylvia Chang, Maggie Cheung
1990 | Colour | 35mm (Revised) | Cantonese | Chi & Eng subtitles | 89 min

Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema

Dir: Stanley Kwan
Scr: Edward Lam
1996 | Colour | D Beta | Cantonese | Chi & Eng Subtitles | 81 min

Three women (Siqin Gaowa, Sylvia Chang and Maggie Cheung) from three different places (Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong) meet as strangers in a strange land and become kindred spirits. Director Stanley Kwan and co-writer Chiu Kang-chien use the wintry views of New York City to serve as a metaphor for the women’s bitter inner lives and their cold isolation from their new home. Despite the reportedly tumultuous creative process, the final result is a moving, timely character drama about the Chinese diaspora with three splendid lead performances.

Also screened with this film is Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema, a documentary commissioned by BFI to celebrate the Centenary of Cinema. Through interviews with directors and actors on their view towards family, and homosexuality, Kwan comes to a conclusion on how to deal with his own sexuality – a conclusion that culminates in a powerful finale.

Double bill: Full Moon in New York, Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema

The contents of the programme do not represent the views of the presenter. The presenter reserves the right to change the programme should unavoidable circumstances make it necessary.