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Features
A Languid Walk Down Memory Lane In an exclusive interview, Hong Kong director Yonfan discusses the historic and artistic influences behind his first animated feature No. 7 Cherry Lane. By Ramin Zahed
H
ong Kong-based helmer and photographer Yonfan’s No. 7 Cherry Lane was one of the most unusual animated features of the past year. The director’s first movie in 10 years and his first foray in animation has been described by critics as a lush, sensual and nostalgic head trip back to his country’s past, circa 1967. The film, which takes its cue from the artistic and languorous
movies of Wong Kar-Wai, centers on a young English literature tutor who finds himself sexually attracted to both his student and her mother. Along the way, the director manages to throw in references to some of his favorites, including Jane Eyre, Remembrance of Things Past, Room at the Top and Casque d’Or! When asked about the inspiration for his movie, Yonfan
responds, “1967 was a revolutionary year. Martin Luther King, Jr. denounced the Vietnam War. Unconventional and artistic films like Blow Up, The Graduate and Bonnie and Clyde arrived on the major Hollywood scene. The Cultural Revolution was spreading all over China, while Hong Kong was facing a riot that almost brought down the whole colony. I was 20 years old and in love with movies and literature.
www.animationmagazine.net 12
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february 21
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