Film director Ang Lee dies at 61
Ang Lee, an American film director, producer and screenwriter born in Taiwan, whose films include “Brokeback Mountain” and “Life of Pi,” died of brain cancer in his New York home Friday morning. He was 61.
Mr. Lee was the first Chinese-American filmmaker who wins Best Director in Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA. His earlier films explored conflicts between traditional and modern values within two generations as well as eastern and western culture. “It is with deep sorrow for us to inform you that Ang Lee passed away,” his family said.
In 1949, when the Chinese Nationalist lost their power in the Civil War, Lee’s parents moved to Taiwan following their remaining troops.
Mr. Lee grew up in an
…show more content…
In 1995, he directed “Sense and Sensibility,” a British classic that made Lee a second-time winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
"Although Lee's previously revealed talents for drama conflicting social and generational traditions will no doubt be noted,” Todd McCarthy said. “Lee's achievement here with such foreign material is simply well beyond what anyone could have expected.”
In 1999, he organized a team in America, Main China, Hong Kong and Taiwan to complete “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” a film with Chinese dialogue and English subtitles. This film obtained a surprise international success and won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and three technical awards.
Mr. Lee was an expert in unveiling human emotions, like “Brokeback Mountain,” which featured the forbidden love between two sheepherders in Wyoming. It was a critically acclaimed film that won 71 awards and additional 52 nominations including the Golden Lion award in 2005.
The year of 2013 has seen an apex of his movie career. Mr. Lee picked up his second Academy Award for directing “Life of Pi,” which was based on a best-selling novel written by Yann Martel and was once considered impossible to adapt for a