Update on Wong Kar Wai's ‘Blossoms'

Apparently, Wong Kar-wai’ “Blossoms” is getting a different color grade for the international release. This could explain why there’s still been no news as to a U.S. release.

Cinematographer Peter Pau told a Chinese outlet that they were not happy with the first run of the series in China, which “didn’t capture the optimal visual tone” Wong and company aimed for. He believes the international version of the series will “have better color grading and correction.”

“Blossoms” is an adaptation of Jin Yuchen’s novel of the same name which follows the lives of Shanghai residents from the end of China’s Cultural Revolution, in the early ‘60s, through the end of the 20th century.

Wong, who oversaw the show, directed 19 of the 30 episodes. The series started airing last December in China and consisted of around 25 hours of television. There’s still no U.S. distribution for “Blossoms,” and I am wondering who would be willing to handle such an ambitious project — MUBI? Maybe a Cannes 2025 premiere could help.

When it was announced five years ago, “Blossoms” was supposed to be Wong’s next film, but it then morphed into a TV series. It’s received positive reviews in China and, after a slow start, became this immense cultural success in the country. Some of the filming locations in Shanghai have even become touristic attractions.

With that said, it’s been 10 years since Wong’s last feature, the Wuxai action epic “The Grandmaster,” starring Ziyi Zhang. Much like 2007’s “Blueberry Nights,” it garnered mixed reviews upon release. However, it was recently reported that Wong is currently working on his next film, which will be distributed by Yves Saint Laurent.

Wong gained worldwide acclaim in the ‘90s and ‘00s with such films as “Chungking Express,” “Fallen Angels,” “Happy Together,” and “In the Mood For Love”