Ang Lee at the premiere party of his new film "Taking Woodstock", New York, July 30, 2009. [Photo: IC]

by Wang Wei

Director Ang Lee's upcoming film "Taking Woodstock" premiered in New York on Thursday. It is the director's biggest project since his Golden Lion winning movie "Lust, Caution" was released in 2007.

Lee and his wife arrived at the premiere with crew and cast members of the film, Sohu.com reports.

The director told reporters that he discovered hippie traits in himself during the filming of "Woodstock", which was based on "Taking Woodstock: A True Story of a Riot, a Concert, and a Life" - a memoir by Elliot Tiber.

Elliot Tiber was the man who made it possible for Woodstock music festival to take place in 1969. This three-day Woodstock event not only changed Tiber's life, but also became a turning point in American culture.

Lee, who bagged the top award in 2005 for "Brokeback Mountain" and was honored again in 2007 for "Lust, Caution", is "one of the most successful directors in creating a dialogue between the film-making culture of East and West," a statement said.