Lee Ang confesses to taking marijuana as a student
Posted: 22 May 2009 1711 hrs

	Photos  of

CANNES: In Lee Ang's latest movie "Taking Woodstock", there was a scene that masterfully captured the after-effects of taking marijuana and stimulants.

The realistic portrayal led to questions on whether the acclaimed director has ever taken any drugs.

Lee confessed he had tried marijuana when he was studying abroad. "I dozed off after taking two puffs," he said. All he could remember was muttering in broken English and speaking Mandarin incessantly.

The renowned director was in Cannes to helm his movie "Taking Woodstock". It has been selected to participate in the Festival De Cannes and is among the front-runners to win the prestigious Palm d'Or after receiving a 10-minute standing ovation.

"Taking Woodstock" reflects the dominant hippie-culture during the late 60's and early 70's and Lee believed that the "after-effects of marijuana and stimulants" scenes were crucial in highlighting the nature of the controversial culture.

Even though the 44-year-old director said he has not had any experiences with stimulants, he was still able to conceptualise the images based on past experiences from his production crew.

At the end of the day, Lee said he was glad that the crew gave their thumbs up to the scenes. "If everyone thought that my interpretation was inaccurate, I would probably have to take them (stimulants) myself," joked Lee.

Lee added that filming the movie was an enjoyable process compared to his previous work, the Chinese espionage thriller film "Lust, Caution", which left him with immense pressure to deliver.

"Taking Woodstock" is Lee's second attempt in the Cannes Film Festival competition and he said he is "very satisfied" and "delighted" just to be part of the festival. - CNA/fa