Jia Zhangke

“[Translated] Roma, by Alfonso Cuarón. I like it. I think this is one of the contemporary films that I really enjoy. Very unforgettable. Seeing the riotous streets below through a glass windowpane. Politics and violence are only separated from us by a single pane of glass. I like it a lot.”

“[Translated] Antonioni, La notte. I remember there's a line in it... It goes like this: "I have more and more acquaintances, but fewer and fewer friends." I think it's from this movie. A woman's very complex emotions at night. I like this kind of wandering.”

“[Translated] Charlie Chaplin, City Lights. We did a Charlie Chaplin retrospective at our Pingyao International Film Festival. I think his kind of films are rarely seen in contemporary cinema. That kind of authenticity, full of cinematic feeling, full of a kind of power stemming from urban juggling. There are fewer and fewer movies that can retain the genes of the urban spectacle into this collective narrative in a film. It's very precious, City Lights.”

“[Translated] Wow! Good Morning, Ozu. Good Morning by Yasujiro Ozu. A very rare and exquisite comedy. The family is buying a TV, something the kids have been looking forward to. Japanese society's transformation period, and through two little kids...”

“[Translated] Bresson, Pickpocket. You could say this film was my mentor. My first film, Xiao Wu, was also about a Pickpocket. Two films about pickpockets. But the Pickpocket in my film isn't as elegant as the one in this. He's very elegant.”

“[Translated] Yi Yi. No explanation needed. Putting in my tote. Okay!”