Zhang Yimou Interview

Zhang Yimou is China's most celebrated director. His films Hero , Raise the Red Lantern and Ju Dou were all nominated for Best Foreign-Language Film Oscars. His latest project, House of Flying Daggers , is a big-budget martial-arts epic in which Andy Lau co-stars. Zhang, 52, spoke with TIME's Neil Gough at his editing studio in Beijing.

TIME: Daggers is your second martial-arts film, right?
ZHANG: Yes. This time around I'm more accustomed to the genre and braver. I pay much respect to the tradition, so you can say this film is a tribute to kung...