Love

Author(s): Harry
Location: Colombia

“Love"

A Sony Pictures Classic Release

Directed by Zhang Yimou
Written by Kim Ki-Duk, Zhang Yimou and Deepa Mehta
Produced by Bill Kong and Ang Lee
Music by Tan Dun and Ji-woong Park
Production Design by Huo Tingxiao and Tim Yip
Cinematography by Gilles Nuttgens
Costume Design by Emi Wada
Editing by Tim Squayres and Angie Lam
Sound by Tao Jing
Visual effects by Ellen Poon

Principal Cast:

Takeshi Kaneshiro as Huhai
Zhang Ziyi as Nameless Girl
Ken Watanabe as the Emperor

Tagline: "Love is a pure force that connects two souls into one"

Synopsis: Love is a feeling in which you feel a mix of a quiet tranquility, an enormous passion and a pure atmosphere surrounding you. Love is a force, so powerful, that unites two souls into one connecting the emotions that one feels for the other. Love can be attacked by the dreadful and miserable world but it must surpass this hate and fly freely like a butterfly full of life. In the 3rd century BC in China, a few years after the construction of the Great Wall, two sensible souls meet and become one force. This is the story of Huhai, the son of the emperor, who lives in a palace with all of the luxuries and richness you could desire but with a heart that couldn’t express its feelings, and of a mute girl who has no name and that tries to find herself and her spirituality thru the art of meditations, martial arts and swordplay.

In summer, love burn as hard as the sun.

A little bored of the palace, Huhai goes take a walk in the forest. As he cleans his spirituality thru a connection with nature, he finds the nameless girl and feels a deep mix of emotions for her. The nameless girl also falls in love with him and they live an intense love.

In fall, love begins to fall as the leaves of the trees.

After the long disappearance of his son Huhai, the Emperor seeks for him in the forest and finds him with the nameless girl. Enraged, he separates them. Huhai and the nameless girl begin to pass thru a crisis of desperation, surrounded by the dark loneliness.

In winter, love does the impossible to surpass the cold.

The Emperor and Huhai travel with their troops in search of new lands. Huhai, madly in love, escapes the carriage and tries to find his love. When he finds the nameless girl, the Emperor and his troops attack them and injure the nameless girl. Full of anger, Huhai kills his father and the troops in revenge.

In spring, love is reborn as the flowers blossom again.

Huhai begins to take care of his love’s injure and miraculously, many flowers of a huge diversity, colors and shapes begin to magically blossom.

What the press would say:

When I saw the beauty of love expressed thru the visually stunning film “Love”, I felt a mix of emotions inside of me that made me feel free and pure as I was blowed away by the soft and magical winds that this film had delicately throw at me. When I try to use words to describe this piece of art, I end up writing a poem, expressing the connections of two souls becoming one thru humans and nature. The amazing Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou beautifully directs this masterpiece mixing the deep spirituality of the story with some astonishing elements such as the combination of colors, the nature shots, the simple and mystical score and the very convincing performances that define Yimou’s directing style and skills. With a unique storytelling and some memorable metaphors; Kim Ki-Duk, Deepa Mehta and Yimou write a very spiritual and emotional script mixing a few historical facts with the intensity of the strong feelings of human beings. Bringing the great and very well developed characters to life, the three performers of the film give brilliant portrayals making us believe that they’re living their roles. Takeshi Kaneshiro plays Huhai, a sensible prince with many feelings in his heart that couldn’t be expressed and a burning love that was almost impossible to live. Zhang Ziyi plays a mute girl with no name, that tries to find herself and her inner spirit and that finds love in the most unexpected place. And Ken Watanabe plays the Emperor, a selfish man that only thought on power and privileges for himself. All of these elements make of “Love” a film of deepness and spirit of humans that will leave you amazed and that will take your breath to places full of emotions and feelings.

Best Picture (AMPAS) – Bill Kong and Ang Lee
Best Picture Drama (HFPA) – Sony Pictures Classic
Best Ensemble (SAG) – Takeshi Kaneshiro, Zhang Ziyi and Ken Watanabe
Best Foreign Language Film – Zhang Yimou (China)
Best Directing – Zhang Yimou
Best Actor in a Leading Role – Takeshi Kaneshiro
Best Actress in a Leading Role – Zhang Ziyi
Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Ken Watanabe
Best Original Screenplay – Kim Ki-Duk, Zhang Yimou and Deepa Mehta
Best Score – Tan Dun and Ji-woong Park
Best Art Direction – Huo Tingxiao and Tim Yip
Best Cinematography – Gilles Nuttgens
Best Costume Design – Emi Wada
Best Film Editing – Tim Squayres and Angie Lam
Best Sound Mixing – Tao Jing
Best Visual Effects – Ellen Poon