We celebrate the famous American novelist Paul Auster, who passed away last spring, by presenting a film by Wayne Wang with a screenplay written by the author. In this film, Auster adapts one of his short stories, published in The New York Times in 1990. Smoke marks the first of three cinematic collaborations between them.
Winner of the Silver Bear with a special mention to Harvey Keitel, 1995 Berlin International Film Festival
Paul Auster's adaptation of his short story Auggie Wren's Christmas Story, published in The New York Times in 1990, Smoke interweaves the destinies of several characters revolving around the Brooklyn Cigar Company, a tobacco shop in Brooklyn.
Wayne Wang
Wayne Wang is a Hong Kong-American film director, producer, and screenwriter. His father named him after his favourite movie star, John Wayne. Considered a pioneer of Asian-American cinema, he was one of the first Chinese-American filmmakers to gain a major foothold in Hollywood. His films, often independently produced, deal with issues of contemporary Asian-American culture and domestic life. His best known works include Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart (1985), Eat a Bowl of Tea (1989), The Joy Luck Club (1993), Chinese Box (1997), and A Thousand Years of Good Prayers (2007). Other films include the Harvey Keitel and William Hurt–starring comedy Smoke (1995), the family film Because of Winn-Dixie (2005), the romantic comedies Maid in Manhattan (2002) and Last Holiday (2006), as well as the controversial erotic drama The Center of the World (2001). He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a Bodil Award, a Silver Bear and two Golden Shells. In 2016, he won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the San Diego Asian Film Festival. His films Chan is Missing (1982) and The Joy Luck Club have been added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in the United States.
