Melbourne fans of Chinese cinema, listen up! The folks at ACMI have announced that King Hu’s 1971 classic A Touch of Zen will be the opening film in this season’s Cinémathèque, screening in glorious 35mm.
Zen is a hugely influential film, combining Hu’s mastery of the wuxia genre and typically beautiful cinematography with a sprawling three-hour-plus story and a healthy dose of symbolism. It’s had significant critical acclaim over the years, starting with a Technical Grand Prize at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival, and it’s a rare treat to have a chance to see it in a cinema.
It’s screening on the evening of February 12, and all the details are here on the Cinémathèque site.