Country: Hong Kong
Language: Chinese
Year: 1998
Running Time: 101 min
Produced by Sylvia Chang, BISHONAN is considered to be one of Yonfan’s most beautiful, acclaimed, and controversial films. It tells the story of Sam, a young, hunky Hong Kong policeman (played by Asia megastar Daniel Wu in his debut role) coming to terms with his sexuality. Jet (Stephen Fung) is the star among male gigolos in Hong Kong. One day he meets Sam, who appears to be innocent, sweet and pure - everything that Jet is not. Jet falls for Sam and starts to imitate those qualities hoping to trap Sam, but then falls into the trap himself as Sam slowly reveals that he has a darker past, and things begin to unravel. With its steamy shower sequence, the film is considered to be one of Hong Kong’s most homo-erotic cinematic statements. In addition to Daniel Wu, the film costars Stephen Fung, Terence Yin and Shu Qi and features narration by Brigitte Lin.
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Daniel Wu
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as Sam Fai
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Qi SHU
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as Kana
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Stephen FUNG
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as Jet
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Official Selections - Berlin, Toronto, Seattle, Deauville Pan Asia, Vienna, Zurich, Brazil, Los Angeles Outfest, Copenhagen Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
Born in Hunan Province, China, Yonfan moved with his parents to Taiwan in 1950. He grew up in Taichung and moved to Hong Kong (which has been his home-base ever since) in 1965. In the late 1960s he traveled and studied in Europe and America. He began directing in 1984. He writes, designs and executive-produces his own films. His international breakthrough came with BISHONEN, screened with great success in the Berlin Panorama in 1999. In 2003, he made his first documentary BREAKING THE WILLOW, on the legacy of China’s traditional kunqu opera. PRINCE OF TEARS, his twelfth feature, is the first he has made in Taiwan.
1984 A CERTAIN ROMANCE
1985 THE STORY OF ROSE
1986 IMMORTAL STORY
1987 DOUBLE FIXATION
1988 LAST ROMANCE
1990 PROMISING MISS BOWIE
1994 THE NEW AGE TO LIVING TOGETHER
1995 BUGIS STREET
1998 BISHONEN
2001 PEONY PAVILION
2003 BREAKING THE WILLOW
2004 COLOUR BLOSSOMS
2009 PRINCE OF TEARS
Variety
Author:
"Sexy, tender and high-grade"
San Francisco Examiner
Author:
"Delightfully notorious"