So, NFTs. If you know what they are, you’re probably someone that gets excited by digital collectibles. If you aren’t sure what a Non-Fungible Token is, then perhaps you’re not going to be as excited by the news that acclaimed filmmaker, Wong Kar-wai, is getting into the NFT game with a new auction tied to his iconic film, “In the Mood for Love.”
According to a Sotheby’s auction listing (via The Film Stage), Wong Kar-wai is auctioning off a brand-new NFT with never-before-seen footage from his film, “In the Mood for Love.” The piece, titled “In the Mood for Love – Day One,” is an edited scene comprised of never-before-seen footage that was filmed between actors Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung on the first day of shooting.
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So, what is an NFT? Well, for those that don’t know, NFTs are non-fungible tokens, aka pieces of digital content that cannot be replicated and are being auctioned off for collectors. So, in essence, while you won’t have a physical copy of the scene in question, Wong is offering the auction winner the sole ownership of this digital piece of history from “In the Mood for Love.” We’ve seen NFTs sell for huge sums of money from digital content creators on YouTube and other industries, but it appears that the trend is now making its way to the auteur film space.
“All creation originates from a single thought. The ‘Humane King Sutra’ describes that every thought consists of ninety flashes, and within each flash lives nine hundred sparks and extinguishments,” said Wong Kar-wai about the auction. “Where did the first thought of ‘In the Mood for Love’ originate from? Hard to say. What’s certain was that February 13, 1999 was the first day when I put that thought into action. The first day of every film production is like the first date with your dream lover—it is filled with fright and delight, like skating on thin ice. An arrow never returns to its bow; twenty years on, this arrow is still soaring.”
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More info about the auction can be found at Sotheby’s. The bidding will begin on October 9. While you can’t watch the entire scene that is up for auction (that wouldn’t make it very collectible, now would it?), you can see a sneak peek below: