In The Mood For Love 2001 Short Film

Here’s a social media post you can use for the 2001 short film In the Mood for Love (often referring to the short In the Mood for Love by Wong Kar-wai, released as part of the The Hire series for BMW, titled The Follow — though some fans also discuss the deleted/extended scenes from the original 2000 film released later). I’ll assume you mean the BMW short film The Follow (2001) starring Clive Owen, directed by Wong Kar-wai, and scored by Michael Galasso (who worked on In the Mood for Love).

Option 1: For Instagram / Facebook (caption style)

Before the sequel, there was a secret short. 🚬🌂

In 2001, Wong Kar-wai directed The Follow — a BMW short film that feels like a lost cousin to In the Mood for Love. Clive Owen plays a driver hired to stalk a celebrity’s wife, but instead of action, Wong delivers longing, rain-slicked streets, slow motion, and a mood so thick you could cut it with a cigarette.

No Maggie Cheung, no 1960s Hong Kong — but the ache? The stolen glances through windows? The repetition of loss? That’s pure In the Mood for Love.

A beautiful, forgotten detour between the original film and 2046. Watch it for the vibes alone. in the mood for love 2001 short film

🎬 The Follow (2001) – dir. Wong Kar-wai

#InTheMoodForLove #WongKarWai #TheFollow #BMWFilms #ShortFilm #CinematicMood

Option 2: For Twitter / Threads

In 2001, Wong Kar-wai directed a 9-minute BMW short called The Follow.
No period drama. No Maggie Cheung.
But the same aching loneliness, rain-soaked neon, and slow-motion longing as In the Mood for Love.
A hidden gem for anyone who loves mood over plot.
🎥 Watch it on YouTube.

Option 3: For Letterboxd or film blog (longer) Here’s a social media post you can use

“In the Mood for Love (2001)” – The Wong Kar-wai Short You Probably Missed

Technically titled The Follow, this 2001 short film was part of BMW’s The Hire series. Directed by Wong Kar-wai, shot by DP Christopher Doyle, and edited with Wong’s signature fragmented rhythm, it’s often nicknamed the In the Mood for Love short because of its thematic DNA.

Clive Owen plays a driver hired to tail a man’s wife. But instead of noir thrills, Wong gives us isolation, repetition, and unspoken desire — all in under 10 minutes. The soundtrack even uses Michael Galasso’s violin cues from In the Mood for Love.

It’s not a sequel. It’s a mood piece. And for fans of Wong’s 2000 masterpiece, it’s a must-watch coda.

Wong Kar-wai’s 2001 short film, often considered a "dessert" to his feature In the Mood for Love, reimagines stars Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung in a modern-day, intimate setting. Originally part of a planned food-themed triptych, this nine-minute piece serves as a stylistic precursor to My Blueberry Nights and has recently surfaced via the Criterion Collection. For more details on the production, visit IMDb. Option 1: For Instagram / Facebook (caption style)

Here’s a helpful overview of the often-confused topic: "In the Mood for Love 2001 short film."

First, a crucial clarification: There is no widely recognized 2001 short film titled In the Mood for Love.

The famous In the Mood for Love (Fa yeung nin wa) is a 2000 feature-length film directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung. It’s a masterpiece of Hong Kong cinema about two neighbors who suspect their spouses are having an affair.

The confusion likely arises from one of these sources:

Suggested Social Copy (for Twitter/X, Instagram captions)

  • Twitter/X (under 280 chars): A study in longing and restraint—Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love (2001) is a visual poem about two souls who meet between duty and desire. Cinematic, aching, unforgettable.
  • Instagram caption: Neon nights, whispered longing. In the Mood for Love (2001) — Wong Kar-wai’s luminous ode to memory, manners, and the ache of what might have been. #Cinema #WongKarWai #InTheMoodForLove

Extended Synopsis (180–220 words)

Set in cramped 1960s Hong Kong apartment blocks, In the Mood for Love centers on Chow Mo-wan, an introverted writer, and Su Li-zhen, a reserved secretary. Each moves into the same building with their respective spouses. When they separately suspect their partners of carrying on an affair with one another, they find solace in one another’s company. Rather than retaliate, they rehearse the conversations they imagine their spouses have, sharing cigarettes, noodle dinners, and late-night walks through neon-lit streets. Their relationship develops into a charged yet chaste intimacy governed by manners and self-restraint; they never consummate their attraction. The film is a study in atmosphere and unspoken emotion—Wong’s meticulous framing, Christopher Doyle’s saturated cinematography, and a haunting score emphasize memory and longing. Small gestures—a shared bowl of soup, a repeated corridor—become profound. As both characters choose decorum over confrontation, the story culminates in an elegiac acceptance of loss and the persistent echo of what might have been.

A Technical Guide: How to Watch In the Mood for Love 2001 Short Film Today

If you are looking to find this elusive short, here is the current status:

  1. Physical Media: The Criterion Collection’s "Wong Kar-wai: World of Wong" box set (released 2021) contains the short as a special feature on Disc 3, listed as "In the Mood for Love: 2001 (Alternate Prologue/Epilogue)".
  2. Streaming: As of 2025, the short is available exclusively on the Criterion Channel and MUBI (under the "Wong Kar-wai Shorts" collection).
  3. Piracy Warning: Avoid the 240p version on Dailymotion. The digital grain of the original requires a high-quality transfer. The low-bitrate versions obscure the intentional clock-face reflection effects.