Fallen Angels (35mm OmU)

Hong Kong 1995, Director: Wong Kar-Wai, 98 minutes, 35mm, OmU

Wong Kar-Wai's nervous fever dream takes us into the pulsating world of Hong Kong at night, where a hot-headed contract killer, his emotional partner and a mysterious criminal meet. Intense grading transforms the city into an unreal place whose halogen lights turn night into day. The dynamic editing and irregular timelines create an adventure in urban isolation that explores the protagonists' loneliness and search for identity. FALLEN ANGELS had a lasting influence on Hong Kong cinema and, with its eccentric images, sounds and rhythms, represents a high point of the postmodern urban fairy tale.

The green-accentuated color processing lends the high-contrast images a special touch: green, normally associated with balance and freshness, has an alienating effect here instead: skin tones appear sickly unnatural, the settings cold and distorted. This reinforces the emotional isolation of the characters, making them seem like aliens on another planet.

Supporting film: There's Only One Sun, Director: Wong Kar-Wai, USA 2007, 9 min, DCP, original version