Taiwanese, Oscar-winning director Ang Lee talked for an hour to an audience as part of an initiative spurred by Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan's Film Task Force, @ Pacific Cinémathèque, 1131 Howe Street, Vancouver, Saturday April 19, from 2-3 PM.Lee talked about how fortunate he was to have the opportunity to be making films with his longtime producer, now head of Focus Features, before turning to questions from the audience.
"People should be free to say anything," said Lee, when asked about the Canadian Conservative Government's Bill C-10 that may deny fed financing for 'subversive' Canadian films and TV series the likes of Trailer Park Boys, The L Word and Tripping The Rift among others.He said financially-assisted films should not be treated as propaganda "...or as a salesman for the tourist industry. I think that's just too low. They should know better than that..."
No stranger to controversy, Lee directed the Canadian-lensed Brokeback Mountain, Marvel Comics-to-film Hulk, Sense and Sensibility, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Lust, Caution, which has seen its female lead actress banned from China for displaying 'excessive sexuality'.
Lee's visit was prompted at the urging of Vancouver city councillor B.C. Lee, who became friends with the director when both were film students in Taiwan.He revealed his next film will be a comedy about the 1960's counter-culture and he continues searching for a good Canadian hockey movie script, ever since he became a fan of the Calgary Flames team during the shooting of Brokeback Mountain...
