About

Like In the Mood for Love 2000, The Hand is set in the hazy Hong Kong of the 1960s, but its characters couldn’t be more different from the earlier film’s restrained, haunted lovers. Originally conceived for the omnibus film Eros 2004, which included 'Equilibrium' (Steven Soderbergh) and 'The Dangerous Thread of Things' (Michelangelo Antonioni).

The film—presented in this retrospective for the first time in its extended cut—tells the tale of Zhang (Chang Chen), a shy tailor’s assistant enraptured by a mysterious client, Miss Hua (Gong Li). The Hand finds Wong Kar Wai continuing to transition from the frenetic, energized style of his earlier films into a register that is lush with romantic grandeur. On release, the critic Roger Ebert said of the film, “it stays with me. The characters expand in my memory and imagination.”

– Kristy Matheson, ACMI

Please note: tickets are available for sale online until 30 minutes prior to the screening (subject to availability). Door sales will not be available. A ticket is required for entry.