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Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of love, longing, and restraint. Set in 1962 Hong Kong, the film follows two neighbors, Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), who slowly form a bond after discovering that their spouses are having an affair. As they navigate the ache of betrayal, they find comfort in each other—but vow not to fall into the same pattern of infidelity. What follows is a tender and restrained connection that simmers with unresolved emotion and unspoken desires.Visually lush and emotionally resonant, the film is a masterclass in mood and style. Cinematographers Christopher Doyle and Lee Ping-bing use narrow hallways, lingering glances, and timeless costumes to frame the quiet ache of love that never quite finds a voice. The result is one of the most celebrated romances in cinema history—named one of the greatest films of the 21st century and a major influence on contemporary filmmakers including Sofia Coppola and Barry Jenkins.
Chosen for our ReelTalk: Foreign Films series, In the Mood for Love exemplifies how international cinema can convey universal themes—love, loss, memory—through a uniquely cultural lens. This screening invites audiences to reflect on the emotional spaces between words, and how cinema can capture the poetry of what goes unsaid.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
1607 Main Street, Columbia, SC, United States, South Carolina 29201
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