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Western with an eastern touch

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Brokeback Mountain has made movie history. It earned Taiwanese director Ang Lee an Oscar for best director - a first for a Chinese filmmaker.

It is a controversial film which portrays a poignant love story. Filmed as a western, it has a uniquely Chinese cinematic style.

Two cowboys, Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal), are hired to work as sheep herders in the beautiful pastures of Brokeback Mountain, Wyoming.

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As the only two people living and working on the mountain, the pair slowly build a friendship that deepens into a forbidden love affair.

Their herding jobs end after a few months, leading Ennis and Jack go their separate ways. Both end up as married family men, but their unforgettable bond leads them to reunite years later for a rendezvous.

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The cinematography is reminiscent of the works of King Hu, the late Chinese director renown for his chivalric martial arts films with Buddhist themes.

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