Originally conceived for the omnibus film Eros, The Hand – presented in this retrospective for the first time in its extended cut – tells the tale of Zhang (Chen), a shy tailor’s assistant enraptured by a mysterious client, Miss Hua (Li).
A hypnotic tale of obsession, repression, and class divisions, The Hand finds Wong Kar Wai continuing to transition from the frenetic, energised style of his earlier films into a register that is lush with romantic grandeur.