Ang Lee shares his opinions on the booming Chinese film market at the Shanghai International Film Festival. [Photo provided to China Daily]

It's no surprise: Ang Lee has become the biggest sensation of the ongoing 19th Shanghai International Film Festival.

As the first and only Chinese to claim an Oscar for best director, Lee is widely hailed as an unrivaled master bridging the East and West.

Despite that acclaim, he hasn't appeared on the Chinese mainland for a couple of years, and the low-profile director turned down all interview requests during the festival.

So it's easy to understand how a two-hour forum on Monday, featuring Lee as a presenter, turned into something of a pilgrimage for movie enthusiasts.

An hour before the event, hundreds of people were lining up outside the door. Many were left outside, standing or sitting on the ground, to watch the live television broadcast once the room was full.

Lee didn't disappoint the crowd.