It's not easy for a film to tell a story of the experiences of an entire society. However, from an individual's perspective, it is possible to tell one aspect of an entire society's story.

From 1911 to 1928, the country was officially called Republic of China, but in reality, it was actually split between different warlords. It was one of the liveliest periods in Chinese history. It is therefore quite theatrical, and it is good for making films.

Stories that can be told through language and words don't need to be filmed.

I'm interested in history.

The most contemporary film I can think of is your standard romantic comedy, but the minute you make them, they already look so aged.

Mind you, Roman Holiday - which is kind of a romantic comedy - is one of my favorite films, and I think Audrey Hepburn is absolutely phenomenal in that movie.

The origins of modern marital instability lie largely in the triumph of what many people believe to be marriage's traditional role - providing love, intimacy, fidelity, and mutual fulfillment. The truth is that for centuries, marriage was stable precisely because it was not expected to provide such benefits.

A wedding, people decide to get married, it comes out of such love for one another and then women can turn into these other people. They're planning something that's the biggest event they'll ever plan in their lives and it turns them into this other person, so it's not totally the guy's fault that he's feeling disconnected from this person.