Film maker Ang Lee, whose movies range from high-flying Chinese martial arts films to tales of US Civil War soldiers, was named America's best director by Time magazine.

In Time's first ever "America's Best" series, which will hit newsstands on Monday, Lee was given the nod as the top director in the US for his work on movies such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Sense and Sensibility.

"This soft-spoken gent is proving again what's always been true: that American cinema is nourished by the artistry of foreigners," Time said in its article on the Taiwanese director who has lived for over 20 years in the United States.

Time called Lee a cosmopolitan chameleon who seems at home in any culture but is detached enough to see it with an ironic acuity.

"We were looking for the director in America who is really at the top of his game right now in terms of excellence in his craft and innovativeness, and someone who is influential as well," said Steve Koepp, deputy managing editor of Time.

Lee's martial arts fantasy Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon made Academy Award history earlier this year by being the first Asian film to win the foreign-language film award. It also picked up Oscars in art direction, cinematography and best original score.

Time's "America's Best" series is aimed at creating a definitive list of people who stand for the best in America today, the magazine said. The Monday edition lists who Time sees as the country's top artists and entertainers.

(China Daily 07/02/2001)