Ang Lee Takes on the Western

Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival recently where the director and stars spoke about the Alberta-filmed movie:

He said setting the story in the 1960s in the conservative West "helped set up the obstacles, especially to gay love, affection."

More difficult than interpreting a love story between men - cowboys at that - was getting beyond cliched perceptions about the American west, he said

"My biggest enemy was the (western) movie genre which was invented," said the director, whose films include Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hulk, The Ice Storm and Sense and Sensibility.

Read the full report, including comments from stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger at CANOE - JAM! Movies.

You can also read an older Calgary Sun article about the commencement of filming back in May 2004 at this link.