Anita Mui Passes Away
December 30, 2003
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Anita Mui
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World-renown Canto-pop diva and critically acclaimed and award-winning actress Anita Mui Yim-fong died early Tuesday at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital in Hong Kong, China at 2:50 a.m. local time after suffering lung complications caused by cervical cancer. In September, surrounded by family and friends, Anita held a news conference to confirm media reports that she had cervical cancer, vowing to beat the disease. Surrounded by family and friends, she passed away.
Anita Mui's final onscreen role was to be in director Zhang Yimou's wuxia Shi Mian Mai Fu ("No Way Out" - aka House of Flying Daggers), co-starring Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Zhang Ziyi. Anita was to play the role of a wandering warrior and elder sister of Ziyi's character, a blind singer.
Despite her brave public face, since Anita was first announced as a member of the cast of Shu Mian Mai Fu and shooting began in the Ukraine, there were constant questions from the media concerning her health and ability to participate in the film's production. It was later announced by filmmakers that once filming in the Ukraine was complete, Anita would join the rest of the cast and crew at Beijing Film Studios in Beijing.
But once shooting moved to Yongchuan, near Chongqing, China earlier this month, without having shot Anita's role, it was immediately speculated that her health could possibly have taken a turn for the worse recently. At present, there has been no official announcement concerning how Anita's sudden passing will affect production.
Anita Mui has had a large impact on both music and cinema, in the East and in the West, and will be greatly missed. It's unfortunate that Ziyi won't have the opportunity and pleasure to have worked with her.
Rest in peace, Anita.
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Thanks to RGR103 and Cassandra58 for the news update.
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Shi Mian Mai Fu Production Moves South
December 19, 2003
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Ziyi and Zhang Yimou
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Yesterday, the entire cast and crew of Shi Mian Mai Fu, including Zhang Ziyi, left Beijing for Chongqing, China, moving the film's production from the facilities of Beijing Film Studios to a completed bamboo forest set in Yongchuan, near Chongqing. Co-stars Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro will depart later for the southern China set.
According to director Zhang Yimou, shooting is approximately 80% complete and that the film will be released in China and several other Asian countries during the first half of the new year.
At left are Ziyi and Zhang Yimou boarding the chartered airliner in Beijing.
Shi Mian Mai Fu ("No Way Out" - aka House of Flying Daggers) is director Zhang Yimou's second effort at filming the wuxia genre. Set in Ming Dynasty China (1368-1644 AD), the film stars Zhang Ziyi as a blind singer, Andy Lau and Takeshi Kaneshiro as law enforcement officers and Anita Mui as a wandering warrior.
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Thanks to MonkeyPeaches for the news update.
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