Ashes of Time (1994)

A heartbroken swordsman broker, exiled in the desert, hires killers for paying clients while weaving tales of their thwarted loves and courage in this 1994 Wong Kar-wai drama.

A wuxia drama from director Wong Kar-wai, this 1994 film follows a jaded swordsman-broker working from a desert hideaway, hiring killers for vengeful clients while reflecting on lost love. Across shifting seasons, the stories of his clients and associates intertwine in a meditation on memory and longing. The cast features Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, Brigit Lin Ching-hsia, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Carina Lau and Charlie Yeung Choi-nei.