What's so great about inspiration is sometimes it finds you when you're not looking. Wong Kar-wai More Quotes by Wong Kar-wai More Quotes From Wong Kar-wai There are certain types of genres that are impossible in China. Ghost stories, something too graphic, too violent, and of course if it's too political. Other than that, it will be fine. Wong Kar-wai ghost-storiespoliticalimpossible Im a big fan of martial arts films, novels and radio programs. Wong Kar-wai radiofansart I wanted to know what exactly martial arts is. When you look at martial arts films, the later ones became more and more exaggerated. It's like, wow, is martial arts only a show? Wong Kar-wai wowlooksart Sometimes, we have to turn our camera to a mirror to shoot something, and people think, 'Oh, that's very stylish.' Yes it is, but at the same time, we did it because we are shooting in a very small space, and that was our only option. Wong Kar-wai mirrorspacetimepeople I don't want to be a grumpy old man or too pessimistic, because if I have a chance, I would prefer to watch a film in the cinema with an audience on a big screen instead of watching it on a cell phone. It's a very different experience, but somehow I think this form will have its own future and life. Wong Kar-wai manfutureexperiencelife To me, romantic means, um, you follow your heart more than your mind. Sometimes when you're shooting a film, you have to follow your heart. Wong Kar-wai meyouheartromantic I think of action as a dance. It's a riddle; it should have emotion in it. Wong Kar-wai thinkemotiondanceaction In most kung fu films, they want to create a hero who's always fighting a bad guy. In the story of Ip Man, he's not fighting physical opponents. He's fighting the ups and downs of his life. Wong Kar-wai ups-and-downsmanherolife At film festivals, I put on my sunglasses and go to sleep because I don't want to see my films again. Wong Kar-wai seesunglassesfestivalssleep The Chinese government promised Hong Kong '50 years, and change.' And 50 years later, after 1997, will be 2046; I think, 'Well, that's a very interesting promise.' So I want to make a film about promise. Wong Kar-wai willthinkgovernmentchange When it's time to let go, I don't look back, and I start another project as soon as possible. One thing I remind myself is that I don't want to Photoshop my past. Wong Kar-wai myselflooktimepast I'm not very aware of styles. We never talk about styles before we start shooting, or even during shooting, because I think the film will bring you there. Wong Kar-wai neverstartthinkyou Heritage is something martial-arts films don't often talk about. Wong Kar-wai aboutsomethingtalkheritage Somehow, we fall in love with the films and don't want to let go, but financially and physically, we cannot afford it. Wong Kar-wai gowantlovefall I think, to be a director, sometimes you need to have certain hunches - you have to believe in some gut feeling. Wong Kar-wai feelingyousometimesbelieve I started out my career as a screenwriter and quickly discovered that adhering to a script isn't always the best way to make a film. You have to take into consideration the nuances of the characters and what the actors bring to their roles. Wong Kar-wai bestyoualwaysway It used to be when you eat, you eat with people. But instant noodles are so instant that people eat by themselves. And it's a very convenient way of eating but also a very lonely way of eating. Wong Kar-wai youeatingpeopleway The reason it takes me so long to make a film, the reason it gets so difficult, is that I'm trying to think of every film as the last one I will ever make so it can be the best it can possibly be. I don't want to have regrets or excuses or think, 'I can do better next time.' Wong Kar-wai bestmetimelong I was born in Shanghai and moved to Hong Kong the year I was five. Wong Kar-wai i-was-bornyearhong-kongborn In my first film, we always tried to have a script and work in a normal way, but I was constantly changing things during shooting. Because I worked as a scriptwriter for 10 years, I understood that directors always wanted to change what was originally written, to improve on it. Wong Kar-wai alwayschangeworkway
