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Maggie Cheung Man Yuk will be trapped between Hong Kong and Japanese hunks

Besides Cheung Man Yuk, there will be a large group of hunks from Hong Kong and Japan like Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Takeshi Kaneshiro (Gum Sing Mo), and Takuya Kimura (Muk Chuen Tok Joi) or Yutaka Takenouchi (Jook Ye Noi Fung). Reportedly, Wong Kar Wai has been prepared the script of Fa Yeung Nin Wa for over a year. The title was named by Kam Kwok Leung over a year ago, but because just when production was to begin, Japanese producers discovered the plot of the film is similar to that of Japanese television series Long Vacation before the series was even shown overseas. Wong Kar Wai at the request of the producers set aside Fa and concentrated on another film which describes the life of a reporter, Beijing Summer (But Gaing ji Ha). In January, the overseas producers asked again, feeling that it is time to make Fa Yeung Nin Wa and expressing that both Muk Chuen Tok Joi and Jook Ye Noi Fung were willing to set aside free time to wait for Wong Kar Wai.

Finally Wong Kar Wai's Fa Yeung Nin Wa with the support of Korean and European producers has confirmed that it will begin production officially in the middle of next month and with the iron triangle behind Happy Together (Chun Guong Ja Sit) -- Wong Kar Wai, Christopher Doyle, and William Cheung Suk Ping. Casting wise, besides Maggie Cheung Man Yuk, Leung Chiu Wai and Gum Sing Mo have already been confirmed as the lead actors. Wong Kar Wai next week will meet with the managers of Muk Chuen Tok Joi and Jook Ye Noi Fung and then make his decision. Others being considered includes Stephen Fung Tak Lun. In terms of actresses, Wong Kar Wai recently has been screen testing many new faces in secret, but he also didn't eliminate inviting another Hong Kong Best Actress Anita Yuen Wing Yi, hoping that Len Len and Maggie can create a spark in the film. Fa Yeung Nin Wa is comprised of modern love stories. Under the pressure of the producers, it might be rushed for a summer release in Southeast Asia.

from Jerry/Wolverine's top ten - May 7/97

Good friend Wong Kar Wai exposes Maggie Cheung Man Yuk's relationship with Olivier Assayas

Wong Kar Wai isn't especially happy about Happy Together (Chun Guong Ja Sit) being the focus of attention at the festival. This trip would be an educational experience for him. The first time he went to Cannes he brought As Tears Go By (Wong Gok Ka Moon). Although this time it is his second time, the emotions for both times are fairly close.

Earlier it was reported Maggie Cheung Man Yuk is involved with French director Olivier Assays, but it was never confirmed. That was until Man Yuk's good friend Wong Kar Wai personally confirming the rumor and also exposing the couple has been together for quite awhile.

Wong Kar Wai on the morning of the 11th flew to France for Happy Together (Chun Guong Ja Sit)'s showing at the Cannes Film Festival. At the airport he talked about good friend Cheung Man Yuk's love. Wong Kar Wai said with a smile, "They have been dating for awhile, I already congratulated them awhile back, Maggie later would meet with me at Cannes. Would she come with her boyfriend? Hey...how should I know!"

This is Wong Kar Wai's second trip to Cannes. With his wife by his side, naturally his mood was especially good. With conversations and laughter, he said since the rumor about Cheung Man Yuk's new love surfaced, the saddest person was Christopher Doyle (To Ho Fung). He said, "To Ho Fung because of this cried several times, because he has always liked Maggie."

Also, Wong Kar Wai would head for Korea and Japan after the festival ends for a four day promotion of Happy Together, after which he would return to Hong Kong to officially begin shooting the Maggie Cheung Man Yuk Tony Leung Chiu Wai film Beijing Summer. When asked if he would be worried about Maggie's lack of concentration at her work due to her new love, Wong Kar Wai laughed, "Not even, whenever someone is deeply in love or out of love, the person would concentrate even more at work, on the opposite if it is all quiet then the person would be slower."

He spent the night of the 11th editing the trailer for Happy Together. This film's post production took almost four months of his time. He edited quite a lot of film out, but the total length of the film was still over 300,000 feet. When asked why he editted Shirley Kwan Suk Yi's part, he said because the film was too long and the decision had nothing to do with Kwan Suk Yi's acting. Although the film has no lead actress, he felt that wouldn't matter, the most important part would be the film being focused. Kwan Suk Yi's performance in the film was quite decent.

The poster for Happy Together at the Cannes Film Festival was very daring, as Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing and Tony Leung Chiu Wai lay naked together. He felt this is a very good poster, quite representative of the film. Besides this poster, this time he also brought a more conservative poster to Cannes, which still focused on Wai Jai and Cheung Kwok Wing. Happy Together would be released at the end of May in Hong Kong, at the time the Cannes poster would be used. But just in case that poster wasn't approved, they prepared several designs. Because the outside world felt this film's topic is sensitive, the photos and trailers would require careful handling. Actually he didn't feel the film is a big deal. He hoped it could be shown with a category II rating, but it is slapped with a category III rating, there is nothing he could do.