The Assassin

Transforming the wuxia genre with an unexceptional power of stillness and reserve, Hou scored his inimitably oblique and ravishing beautiful triumph, achieving breathtaking new heights of compositional elegance. The volatile power plays and political instabilities that marked the decline of Tang Dynasty are laid out with unobtrusive intricacy, as the assassin gradually changes from killing with matter-of-fact precision to commanding her own destiny. Drawn between menacing forest, mystic mountains and evocative water, this painterly portrait of love and honour is utterly mesmerising with its singular vision – not just aesthetic, but also moral.

Cannes Film Festival: Best Director and Cannes Soundtrack Award

Golden Horse Awards: Best Feature Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup & Costume Design and Best Sound Effects