Existentialism in the films of Wong Kar Wai

Abstract

Having been nominated for several awards and winning two at the Cannes Film Festival, Wong Kar Wai is easily one of the most recognized Asian directors. Perhaps the reason for his popularity in the international art house circuit is because his works are highly stylized with captivating aesthetics and haunting soundtracks. His popularity extends to the field of academia where numerous literature and dissertations have been devoted to discussing his films. Deviating from the usual political readings of his film, this paper will set out to analyse his films from an existential perspective. An existential approach to Wong’s films will allow us to properly establish a link between the philosophy and the films which many writers have casually formed without an in-depth analysis of both. A look at Wong’s films with reference to Jean-Paul Sartre’s notion of existentialism will also draw our attention to how the relationship between characters are complicated by factors such as individual freedom and authenticity.