A Biography of

Author: Yan Rong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-04-01
Features: Speaking in silence, stirring passion in tranquility. Wong Kar-wai once said, "Leung Chao-wai doesn’t need a mouth to act—he can perform just with his eyes." The melancholy in Leung Chao-wai’s gaze seems to lightly conceal some stories that belong to him, released in his films in a performative manner, captivating and mesmerizing. Those lingering silences and enduring pains accumulate in the scenes of his life over the years. When he is silent, countless words surge silently from his calm eyes. His helplessness, his reluctance, his charm, his vagabondage—every detail, every nuance—permeates his vision, every inch of light and shadow.
—Recreating Leung Chao-wai’s long journey in the entertainment industry, interpreting the real emotional world behind the brilliance of the film emperor.
On the evening of March 27, 2005, Leung Chao-wai once again won the Best Actor award at the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards, making him the fifth-time recipient of this honor. This deep man who bathes in petals has once again successfully embodied his exquisite acting skills. Leung Chao-wai is an iconic figure in Hong Kong cinema. His interpretation of art requires no words—just a glance, and all meaning is revealed. Leung Chao-wai’s eyes have become the most charming aspect of his life, and thus the most formidable weapon he possesses. He observes the sea, the clouds, and the world with detachment, placing the fleeting vanity beyond his reach. He is the only Hong Kong actor to have won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival and the second Chinese actor to do so after Ge You after winning the Best Actor at the Cannes Television Festival.
On his path to success, he advances by bending. He is naturally solitary and enjoys this solitude. In solitude, he also perfects himself, becoming an unparalleled scene on the stage of performance. He is composed and restrained yet full of passion; he is bold yet introspective; he is charming yet deeply devoted. He carries the uninterpretable charm of his life with his very being.
Leung Chao-wai: A Visual Biography is richly illustrated, interpreting Leung Chao-wai’s long journey in the entertainment industry and his winding emotional path. From "The Five Tigers of TVB" to his triumph at Cannes, from The Deer Hunter to Dong Feng Mei, from A City of Sadness to Happy Together, and then from In the Mood for Love to 2046, and finally to The Longest Nite, Leung Chao-wai has been portraying life and letting life portray him.