Hong Kong cinema icon Tony Leung, now in the fourth decade of his celebrated career, still hasn't lost the habit of going to the movies.
“Even today I go to watch movies in the cinema four or five times a week,” the actor said Tuesday at the Tokyo International Film Festival, where he serves as president of the event's competition jury. “I've been doing this since I was little.”
But the actor, loved by filmmakers for his work in Won Kar Wai In the mood for loveby Ang Lee Lust, bewareand that of Zhang Yimou Heroamong many others – said that judging films at a film festival makes for a “totally different” viewing experience and that tends to leave him anxious.
Leung is joined on the Tokyo jury this year by fellow Hong Kong cinema titan Johnnie To, Hungarian director Ildikó Enyedi, Japanese actress Ai Hashimoto and French actress Chiara Mastroianni, daughter of European cinema legends Marcello Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve.
“Watching films while serving as jury president and working alongside these wonderful jury members, I often feel that maybe I'm not educated enough — or maybe I'm not smart enough,” Leung said, laughing.
To, who directed Leung in the 1998 Hong Kong crime thriller The longest nighthe was more optimistic about his role at the festival. The director, noted foodie and wine connoisseur, not to mention the creator of a dozen Hong Kong classics, including Crazy detective, Election AND Latest news — said he visits Tokyo several times a year to enjoy “wonderful Japanese cuisine.” He added that he and Leung had shared tips on their favorite restaurants in the Japanese capital, arguably the greatest foodie city in the world. But the director said he will also be in Tokyo with “work to do” this week and that he will bring an open mind to the festival's diverse selection of films.
“In the past, I had anticipation or expectations before watching a movie. In most cases I was disappointed,” To said. “So now I try not to have any filters or assumptions before I see a movie. It should be more intuitive,” he explained. “I just want to immerse myself in movies.”
Mastroianni, whose latest feature film, Marcello Miois slated as the closing film of the 2024 Tokyo Fest, noted that Leung's movie-going is far from the norm these days.
“Unfortunately, all over the world now, the habit of going to the movies is something very precious and very rare, because people have adopted new habits – because of the platforms, because of COVID and many other reasons,” he said. “I really admire the people who still fight to defend film festivals, because I think it's not only an opportunity to discover wonderful directors, but it's also an opportunity to rediscover what it means to watch a film in a theater with the people who care about you. surround – people you don't know, but with whom you will share this wonderful experience.”