lassical romance takes on a contemporary edge in Autumn in New York. The story of a love affair that unfolds in a single season pairs an aging playboy who doesn't believe in forever with a younger woman who only has a short time to give.   Autumn in New York follows the story of Will Keane (Richard Gere), a New York restaurateur, verging-on-50 playboy, and master of the no-commitment seduction. Then he runs into Charlotte Fielding (Winona Ryder), half his age and twice his match.   Will indulges his interest in Charlotte, expecting yet  another quick and easy romance. Just as he is about to make a quick exit in his usual manner she informs him that she's dying. They continue the affair with a renewed intensity and he actually falls in love.   Surrounding Gere and Ryder is an extraordinary supporting cast including Emmy-award winning Elaine Stritch, Tony award-winning Anthony LaPaglia, Sherry Stringfield (ER,  NYPD Blue) and Jill Hennessy (Law and Order).   Actress Joan Chen, who made her directorial debut with  the award-winning Chinese film Xiu Xiu The Sent-Down Girl, felt drawn to Allison Burnett's screenplay, which seemed reminiscent of Hollywood's classic 1940s dramas. Whereas Xiu Xiu The Sent-Down Girl had the power of a mythic fable

actors Richard Gere Winona Ryder Jill Hennessy Vera Farmiga Jamie Harrold Anthony LaPaglia Sherry Stringfield Elaine Stritch director Joan Chen locations New York City outtake Production Designer Mark Friedberg was fascinated by Joan Chen's instincts and choices as he followed her around New York preparing his designs. "It was one of the great joys of this movie, mixing her vision with my take on style, merging antiques with a modern setting."

Chen saw Autumn in New York as having the bittersweet enchantment of an old-fashioned love story set in today's hyper-fast world of celebrity chefs and independent young women.   Ryder brings to the character of Charlotte Fielding a mixture of girlish spirit and a soulful, grown-up acceptance of the way things are. She decides to throw herself into love with everything she's got - and she winds up taking the unlikely Will Keane with her.   "She gives Charlotte a magical quality," Gere says about Ryder. There is something quite extraordinary about a very young woman who has that kind of depth and wisdom about life."   Throughout filming, Chen maintained what she terms a "virgin" excitement about New York. "When I made my first film, I went to Tibet and was overwhelmed," she says. "I was in awe of what I saw every day and this is the same way I felt in New York - the in-your-face attitude and the crowds and the historical building standing next to contemporary glass towers. Making the film, I began to see the city in a whole new way. "   Rather than pretend to be a New York insider, Chen opted to use her outsider status to her advantage, making that the point of view of the camera. "I imagined the camera as a voyeur who has arrived quite suddenly in New York City and finds Will and Charlotte," she explained. "We're perched just outside their windows, watching what happens when they fall in love. And because it's all about watching through windows, the film is filled with reflections and shafts of light which makes it more visually rich."   Chen's involvement in the film was one of the drawing cards for Gere. "Joan brings a very distinctive maturity to the story," he says. "Her approach is really more European than most American movies, very human, emotional and with beautiful visuals that convey the story. She views iconic New York in a totally fresh way, revealing layers you wouldn't otherwise see." - Rise Levy