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Chungking Express
Institute of Contemporary Arts
Chungking Express, dir. Wong Kar Wai, Hong Kong 1994, 102 min., Cantonese with English subtitles


The whiplash, double-pronged Chungking Express is one of the defining works of 1990s cinema and the film that made Wong Kar Wai an instant icon. Two heartsick Hong Kong cops (Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tony Leung), both jilted by ex-lovers, cross paths at the Midnight Express take-out restaurant stand, where the ethereal pixie waitress Faye (Faye Wong) works. Anything goes in Wong’s gloriously shot and utterly unexpected charmer, which cemented the sex appeal of its gorgeous stars and forever turned canned pineapple and the Mamas and the Papas’ California Dreamin’ into tokens of romantic longing. 

This 4K digital restoration was undertaken from the 35 mm original camera negative by the Criterion Collection in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata and Jet Tone. It was supervised and approved by Wong Kar Wai.
In partnership with Janus Films and the BFI.
 
Ticket information
  • All tickets that do not require ID (full price, disabled, income support) can be printed at home or stored in email
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£13 Full, £11 Concessions, £6.50 Green/Blue Members

Weekday matinees: £8 Full, £6 Concessions, £4 Green/Blue Members

Tuesday evenings: £11 Non-members , £6.50 Green/Blue Members

Tuesday matinees: £6 Non-members, £4 Green/Blue Members

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