The Hong Kong film Chungking Express opened in the U.S. on this day in 1996. Written and directed by Wong Kar-Wai, the movie tells the story of two cops and their destructive love lives. The first plot follows Cop 223, who finds meaning in canned fruit, while the second tracks the strange new love interest of Cop 663. Interestingly, the stories hold their own plotlines throughout most of the film, intersecting only slightly. Chungking Express went on to receive an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Foreign Film in 1997. Before that, the movie won four of its 10 top honors at the Hong Kong Film Awards of 1995.
Connections: Known for his love of Asian cinema, it comes as no surprise that moviemaker Quentin Tarantino was the one to bring Chungking Express across borders. He helped Wong Kar-Wai distribute the movie via his Rolling Thunder distribution company.
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