Edward Yang, 59

I was truly saddened to read this on the CBC news wire.

The brilliant Taiwanese director, Edward Yang, died of cancer on Friday, June 29, at his home in L.A.

I first saw Yang's Yi Yi (A One and a Two) at the 2000 Vancouver International Film Festival, and thought it was a wonderful family drama: it's heartwarming (bordering on sentimental), and portrays a delicate view of contemporary life - a feat accomplished by many Asian filmmakers, and something that we North Americans never get quite right.

Anyone interested in seeing his work should seek out Yi Yi, as well as A Brighter Summer Day, which was included on many critics' "Best Of" lists during the 1990s, and Taipei Story, which Tony Rayns (Sight and Sound's East Asian film critic) lists as one of the top films of all time.

Yi Yi is available from Criterion DVD.

[Edward Yang obituary - CBC ]