Edward Yang, best director winner at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival, died Friday at his Beverly Hills home from complications of colon cancer. He had been battling the disease for seven years but kept his condition private. He was 59.Yang, an American citizen born in Shanghai, first made a career for himself as a computer engineer. On his 30th birthday, he decided to change directions. He became a filmmaker.
Known for his realistic movie portrayals of modern Taiwan, Yang favored stories set in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei. He is responsible for the 1991 film A Brighter Summer Day. First-time actor Chang Chen worked on this film and then went on to star in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Ang Lee kung fu hit.
"He was my inspirational teacher in performance and one of the directors I respect the most," Chang said.
Yang's 2000 Cannes win was for Yi Yi (A One and a Two), about a Taiwanese family coping with the serious illness of their elderly mother.
Yang is survived by his wife, concert pianist Kaili Peng, his 6-year-old son Sean, a younger sister and a brother.
