SALOME

An ageing Jean-Pierre, thinking he is near the end of his life, sits in the snowy Tuileries Garden, waiting to be buried in snow. The snow is actually created by a machine. When he finds out that he is on a film set, he tries all means to make the crew remember who he is.
Hsiao-kang is directing a film called The Deer Hunt. Maggie Cheung plays Salomé, a beautiful woman known for her dancing skills. Salomé sees a large male deer in the forest, whose beauty and arrogance remind her of John the Baptist. She was madly in love with him, even when she knows she'll never get him.
During filming, Maggie receives news of Leslie Cheung's (her actor friend) suicide in Hong Kong, sending her into grief and confusion. Leslie's face keeps appearing in her mind, disrupting her performance. The filming stops.
Meanwhile, Hsiao-kang is troubled by another face. In the film, King Herod, in his desire to see Salomé dance, promises her the head of John the Baptist. What kind of face should the head have? Hsiao-kang wanders into the Louvre Museum in search of the face...

I met Jean-Pierre in a Parisian café recently. As I watched his old face - child-like yet full of sorrows - I felt the urge to capture it on film.
I also wanted to capture Maggie Cheung's face. She reminds me of the silent film actress Ruan Lingyu and Marilyn Monroe. They've transformed from mere movie trademarks to cultural icons. Maggie's career is a reflection of today's increasingly self-examining film industry. I want to see what would happen when I add her face to the Louvre Museum.
Of course, I can't exclude Lee Kang Sheng from the film. I've worked with him in every film I've made. I've seen the changes on his face over the years. I've never turned my camera away from him.