THOMAS PODVIN’S FREELANCE WORK
Freelance writer - translator - Editor

What better way to learn about Chinese women than straight from the source? This collection of 25 essays delves deep into the female soul, both past and present with each essayist offering her viewpoint on life’s vicissitudes.
Subjects include life during the "cultural revolution"; love (which according to Dai Houying is a topic best treated in a light-hearted manner, if treated at all); and literature (acclaimed Shanghainese writer Eileen Chang pays tribute to fellow writer Su Qing). Other essays tackle the generation gap (Tie Ning on her mother’s behavior), and relationships with partners or family (Zu Lin’s offers a touching account of her search for her mother in "Blue Phantom").
In addition to the often poignant, always revealing, essays, this volume includes short biographies of all the contributors for those readers who wish to further explore the works of a particular author.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
Book courtesy Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House
July 2005 issue

Devdas (Shah Rukh Khan) et Paro (Aishwarya Rai) sont amis d'enfance. Paro se languit de revoir Devdas contraint par son père de partir étudier dix ans en Angleterre. Pourront-ils enfin exprimer leurs sentiments l'un pour l'autre et se marier ? Parler d'un film Bollywood dans ces pages consacrées à Hong Kong peut paraître surprenant. Sans s'étendre sur le sujet, il arrive qu'on retrouve, dans d'autres cinématographies, une idée de cinéma (spectacle, réflexion ou exercice cinématographique) proche de ce qu'a pu fournir le cinéma de HK à une certaine époque. C'est le cas pour Devdas, d'où l'intérêt qu'on lui porte ici.

Devdas rempli son contrat de film à grand spectacle Bollywoodien (glamour, chants et danses, sentiments exacerbés) et fait preuve de raffinements, de subtilités ainsi que d'une grande rigueur. L'esthétisme, la psychologie des personnages, le scénario et les dialogues sont particulièrement soignés.

Il est difficile de parler de Devdas sans recourir aux superlatifs, tant ce film représente un véritable culte du beau. Il y a toujours un plus dans tout ce qui est mis en scène et cadré. Les actrices ont les mains maquillées et ornées de bijoux, elles portent des costumes chamarrés et évoluent dans des décors grandioses sublimés par un éclairage très travaillé. Mais Devdas n'est pas un exercice de style friqué et vain. Les magnifiques décors raffinés, presque baroques, le maquillage, les costumes et accessoires, et la photographie ainsi que certaines idées de mise en scène subliment les personnages et leur histoire. Tous ces éléments participent au spectacle et sont adroitement utilisés pour exprimer des sentiments et des émotions ineffables. Le talent du réalisateur, et de son équipe, est d'avoir mis une débauche de beauté et de splendeur au service de son propos et du parcours des personnages.

L'un des grands atouts du film est ainsi d'échapper aux travers typiques de ce genre de produit. Le réalisateur évite soigneusement de longs tunnels dialogués pour expliquer une histoire ou des sentiments. Il choisit plutôt de les montrer et de les dévoiler en recourrant à tous les éléments visuels (photographie, montage, décors, accessoires…) et sonores propres au médium. Toutes les ressources cinématographiques disponibles sont donc employées au maximum. La photographie est évidemment l'outil à l'efficacité la plus visible. Dans la scène au clair de lune où Devdas découvre le visage de Paro, les deux amoureux sont enrobés par une réflexion mouvante des vitraux colorés sous les rayons lunaires. Celle-ci accentue la révélation magnifique et souligne la comparaison entre la beauté des traits de Paro et de la lune. Le montage à également son importance. La séparation des deux amants est montée en cross cuting ou montage alterné, entre ici un flash back et une scène actuelle. Ce procédé permet de mettre en parallèle les tragédies du passé et du présent et donc démultiplie leur intensité dramatique. Enfin, l'ambiance sonore appuie les effets. Le bruit du tonnerre ou d'un claquement de fouet vient appuyer un moment tragique ou une terrible révélation.

Le fond et la forme vont ainsi se compléter, s'harmoniser et sublimer l'histoire des personnages. Le film prend des allures de conte de fée après le premier tiers. Tout converge alors vers un spectacle d'une intensité et d'une beauté extrême. Lors de la scène à la source entre Devdas et Paro, la lumière de la lune les illumine d'une clarté quasi féerique. Le film entre alors dans une phase plus onirique, en dehors des réalités d'une simple histoire d'amour, et évidemment loin du quotidien indien (lieu et époque demeurent assez flous). Devdas est devenu gentleman tandis que Paro possède tous les atours d'une princesse de contes. Le premier ne peut se soustraire à son déclin malgré toutes ses vertus. Paro, elle, change de statut et évolue dans un environnement qui correspond à ses métamorphoses. D'abord jeune fille qui attend Devdas dans sa chambre, elle prend ensuite des allures de belle au bois dormant orientale au clair de lune. Puis elle acquiert une situation stable d'épouse d'aristocrate et de mère au sein d'un palais grandiose où un plan majestueux lui donne les apparences d'un personnage de peinture assujettie à son environnement et au décorum. Par la suite, sa grandeur, son charisme, le luxe des ses vêtements et bijoux révèlent l'importance de sa situation de maîtresse de maison.

En utilisant tous les moyens mise à disposition, le réalisateur Sanjay Leela Bhansali réussi avec rigueur et sans digression inutile à imprimer sur pellicule le pathos de ses personnages et à redonner ses lettres de noblesse au genre de la comédie mélodramatique indienne. L'histoire d'amour de trois heures ne s'essouffle pas car de nouveaux éléments viennent s'ajouter au récit et maintiennent l'intérêt du spectateur tout en faisant progresser l'intrigue. Ce qui ne veut pas dire que Sanjay Leela Bhansali ne prenne pas son temps pour ménager de purs moments de poésie (avec danses et chants par exemple) ou des instants lyriques (dialogues imagés, poétiques et / ou à plusieurs niveaux de lectures) qui confirme la filiation du film à la littérature. Pour mémoire, le scénario est basé sur un roman classique indien déjà maintes fois porté à l'écran. Devdas est un film populaire, mais qui offre une plus-value indéniable par rapport aux autres films commerciaux Bollywood du genre. Il ne sombre pas dans les écueils faciles du mélo. Le film n'est ni kitch, ni ennuyeux et tout en impliquant le public au divertissement, il évite de prendre le spectateur en otage d'une déferlante de bons sentiments et de débordements lacrymaux (comme le laissait faussement présager le premier quart d'heure). Bref, il titille autant l'affect que l'intellect, il contente autant le goût du beau que le pathos. Ce qui mérite tout de même la plus grande attention.

(c) HKCinemagic.com
Chief editor: Thomas Podvin
Published: 21/04/03
www.HKCinemagic.com

Tsui Hark has always enjoyed playing with the two antagonist facets of the cinema industry: business and art. Unfortunately, this game doesn't come with drawbacks and Time and Tide is a good example. As an art object, this movie is probably the most exhilarating graphic material ever shot for the last five years, aside from Wong Kar Wai's features probably. On the commercial side of the project, however, Time and Tide didn't trash the box office in Hong-Kong or in Far East Asia as expected by the co-production Company Columbia Tri-Star. The success was there, but still moderate. A good cast of stars (i.e. Taiwanese rock star Wu Bai, Hong-Kong pop star Nic Tse and Candy Lo) should have assured to break records. What went wrong? Probably tremendous fast action mixed with an apparently complex plot but delivering several different sub-textual issues didn't appeal enough to the audience.

Some people stated that the holes in the plot of Time and Tide were eventually corked by ultra high-speed action, hyper-kinetic camerawork and editing. Tsui Hark never said that they were wrong, but he declared that Time and Tide is full of his favourite sub-textual themes, e.g. hope, romantism, existentialism, post-hand-over doubts and struggle against fate. I should add that there are plenty of different atmospheres and a lot of attractive characters in this feature.

Frankly on paper, this plot seems easy to grasp. The way Tsui Hark tells his story has however disconcerted a lot of people and even some film critics. But Tsui Hark tried hard to make the story easy to follow with directors' tricks such as voice over technique and a relative linear plot. Lots of supporting roles make the movie rich in situations and confrontations, but can confuse an audience used to be spoon fed in theatres. Don't get me wrong, I am not blaming the audience's capability to understand plots. The simple fact that the American film industry has always flood the world with linear plot features or easy story telling shows that sometimes people go to the cinema not to be bothered by any plot intricacy. For instance, The Matrix scriptwriter, aware of this fact, developed his script in order to explain Keanu Reeves and the audience the complexity of the Matrix worlds, which takes nearly half of the film length.

However, Tsui Hark has always taken advantage from a new production to experiment as much as possible the cinematic medium. He has used his audience to get ready to undergo an amazing experiment when going to theatres. For instance, flashy colours and bonkers editing will probably still affect your retina a few hours after watching Time and Tide. Intensive editing from Marko Mak served the instantaneousness of speed action, but was also a mean for Tsui Hark to tell a story only giving what he wants (e.g. through jump cuts and ellipsis) to let the audience reassemble the puzzle and understand. Such brain process could appear daunting, especially when one is expecting to watch a modern action movie with his/her favourite pop stars.

Tsui experiments as well in order to show something never seen before, to create something new or to revive old practices in the local cinema. In Time and Tide, he revived tired heroic-bloodshed action sequences from recent Hong-Kong movies with wire works as well as he did for Kung-Fu movies, i.e. Once Upon A Time In China that launched Jet Li's career.

In addition to that, Tsui managed to create different type of atmospheres and can even put together abrupt changes in tone the simplest fashion possible. In the beginning of the film the way a hand held camera follows Nic Tse through filters and fancy lighting and shows the exceptional tact he has with females and his ability to pull, refers to Wong Kar Wai's work, especially Chungking Express and Fallen Angels. But within this sequence, another atmosphere or strong feeling come into the equation. Nic Tse and Cathy Chui vomit after a drinking session from a bridge as taxis drive by. To me, this type of trash and anarchic behavior refers to Tsui's third movie: Don't play with fire (aka Dangerous encounter of the first kind) describing a bunch of anarchic schoolboys in a rotten Hong-Kong.

So finally, Time and Tide is worth watching over and over again for its complexity and its fantastic action scenes that makes its richness and its appeal. It does deserve a second though. When asked about Time and Tide, Tsui Hark claimed to have made a new type of action film and even expect from the audience to adjust to it! To convince people, Tsui made another brilliant feature that shows action and tells a story in the same particular way: Legend Of Zu. Better get used to it!

(c) HKCinemagic.com
Chief editor: Thomas Podvin
Published: 12/2001
www.HKCinemagic.com

by James Robert Parish. Thunder's Mouth Press, NY. 2002, 218p

James Robert Parish is a veteran Hollywood chronicler (The Multicultural Encyclopaedia of Hollywood). He is a true Hong-Kong movie aficionado and he took the opportunity of the fast-growing international fame of Kung Fu prodigy and kind-hearted actor Jet Li, to deliver a comprehensive biography of the man; a meaningful and educative content that is, unfortunately, delivered in a poorly-designed packaging. But this first American book ever about Jet Li isn't going to disappoint his fans.

The author has chosen the chronological approach throughout 18 chapters. Each of them is indeed dedicated to a key event or a set of determining events in Jet Li's life. The choice to order chronologically the events illustrates Parish wish to root Li's career strategy into his country's and his own historical, cultural, social and even religious backgrounds, which can sometimes appear very obscure for western filmgoers. In this respect, the first chapters constitute a history lecture of an early-20th-century China, mixed with historical details on Jet Li's hometown (Beijing) and with his family background and everyday life struggles. All this is done in order to get a general picture of the martial artist persona and aspirations. The last paragraphs deal with each of the movies he made in the USA from 1998, at the rate of a movie per chapter (from Lethal Weapon 4 to The One). They are then followed by a substantial filmography and a bibliography.

Despite an apparent linear continuity in dealing with every movie Li's made, Parish doesn't make a mere list detailing their faults or merits. His work is much deeper since he systematically reveals ups and downs of a feature production, he adds a plot summary, not spoiler free though, he specifies the dates of release (in HK and in the USA) and the box office grosses and successes. He usually finishes it off by describing the audience and critic reception adding various American journalist quotations. Sometimes Parish fails to make his point crystal clear since he may dilute his analysis of the situation with so much wealth of detail. But this thorough approach is logical and serves well the author demonstration.

Li sees each movie as an excuse to a new challenge and he is motivated by new experiences, by meeting new people or to improve his acting skills. During the production of Once Upon A Time In China, director Tsui Hark unexpectedly brought him new perspectives on his acting approach, which helped him to improve his performances. The chronological progress is therefore logical since it perfectly follows Li's evolution in his private and professional life.

To support this private and intimate approach, a multitude of Jet Li's own words are quoted in addition to various excerpts on film critic reviews. Again, it leads the reader to understand Li's own reflections on his career ups and downs. For instance, repeated failures to find a proper project, multiple injuries or witnessing Hong-Kong people misbehaving with Mainlanders made Li seriously think of giving up. But, Parish demonstrates that Li worked as hard to become an accomplished movie person (in production, acting, action choreography, script-writing and even film direction) as he did to become a Wu Shu expert, in spite of some misfortune.

Parish knows that his readership may be a mix of Li's fanatics and mere moviegoers. He takes then the opportunity to be educational, but never boring. He explains indeed what are the typical constraints in the HK movie productions and the local film genres and techniques (e.g. Wu Xia Pian or Kung Fu, and wire works). This has the double advantage to never lose the reader into the complexity of a chaotic Hong Kong film production system, which is miles away, in its conception, from the Hollywood asepticized methods. And it helps the reader to contemplate Li's merits in dealing with such traditional and demanding system and still displaying his tremendous skills whilst promoting Chinese cultural heritage. The tough production of Hong-Kong/China co-production Shaolin Temple 3: Martial Arts From Shaolin (by Lu Chia Liang, 1986) is a perfect example.

This comprehensive biography is obviously recommended. Captivating explanations are cleverly illustrated by various meaningful anecdotes and quotations. Unfortunately, Parish's words failed to be beautifully illustrated by gorgeous and attractive colour pictures. Despite their originality, thirty odd black and white vaguely framed pics don't satisfy the eyes of the fans, craving for magnificent photos of his/her hero. On top of that, the cover is a clumsy collage, associating Jet Li's face to a fist and a 'kicking-ass' session in a black background. This is a simplistic association of ideas to depict Li's personality and this gives nothing exciting nor attractive to look for in bookshops for the proper fans, not to mention the curious moviegoers. They have the right to expect better, especially since exuberant aesthetics and graphic virtuosity are the HK film industry trademarks; a film industry that has generated, at the end of the day, the Jet Li's phenomenon.

(c) HKCinemagic.com
Chief editor: Thomas Podvin
Published: 06/2002
Book courtesy Thunder's Mouth Press
www.hkcinemagic.com

de Christopher Doyle. Ed. City Entertainment. Le livre est en vente environ 25 euros chez yesasia.com.

L'album photo/ journal de bord de Christopher Doyle sur le tournage de Happy Together en Argentine déjà édité en 1997 a été réédité en 2003 suite au décès de Leslie Cheung le premier avril de cette année.

Esthétiquement très soigné (couverture carton, photos couleur et pages glacée), ce livre bilingue en anglais et chinois évoque les tribulations de chinois en Argentine, à la recherche d'un film. Outre les commentaires acides et drôles de Doyle, le directeur de la photo attitré de Wong, le livre retrace avec une extrême justesse l'ambiance sur le plateau, les relations et tensions avec l'équipe et les acteurs (Leslie Cheung plus "star" que jamais) et l'inspiration et les méthodes de travail du photographe. D'anecdotes en anecdotes, l'auteur dévoile un Wong Kar Wai quasiment perdu sur le plateau, qui filme et invente au gré des endroits et de l'architecture de la ville, et qui "jamme" avec ses techniciens et acteurs à la recherche de ses personnages et d'une histoire qui ne prendra finalement que tout sont sens au montage. Les photos et textes contribuent également à démystifier le réalisateur et les acteurs en témoignant de situations parfois ordinaires… Et la pauvre Shirley Kwan, coupée au montage, apparaît aussi sur certaines photos au côté de Chang Chen. Bref, recommandé aux fans du film et de Wong Kar Wai. Un niveau d'anglais assez bon est toutefois requis pour comprendre toutes les expressions et les subtilités des histoires de l'Australien Doyle.

(c)HKCinemagic.com
Chief editor: Thomas Podvin
Plublished:08/2003
www.hkcinemagic.com/fr/

Kung Fu traditionnel + humour de Chow + effets modernes + hommage au cinéma et à la culture chinoise = nouveau chef d’oeuvre du cinéma hongkongais.

Ce qui a fait la faiblesse de beaucoup de films asiatiques ces dernières années était la volonté de conquérir à tout prix les marchés internationaux avec une tendance à gommer son identité propre. Il en résultait des films pour la plupart chèrement produits, vites consommés, et au final fades et creux. Bénéficiant de moyens conséquents en provenance de Chine, de Hong Kong et des USA, et d’une excellente qualité de production, Kung Fu Hustle, la dernière réalisation du comique numéro 1 de HK, Stephen Chow, échappe à cette tendance. Même s'il a un vrai potentiel pour conquérir les marchés occidentaux, Kung Fu Hustle est avant tout un film de kung fu respectant la tradition du genre et qui de plus est accessible à tous. Hommage au cinéma de HK, il est une belle démonstration du meilleur qu'offre cette industrie : le kung fu, la kung Fu comedy et le « molaito ». Voyons dans quelles mesures Kung Fu Hustle engloble ces genres uniques et passionnants.

Le titre original du film annonce la couleur, « Gung Fu », ou Kung Fu en Mandarin, indique qu’il s’agira clairement d’un Kung Fu Pian, un film de Kung Fu. Comment pourrait-il en être autrement avec les maîtres du genre associés au film dans l’équipe technique ou le casting (Sammo Hung, Yuen Woo Ping, Yuen Wah, Tung Chi Hwa, Bruce Leung…) ? Et surtout la référence au genre, Bruce Lee, que Chow admire tant (son ombre plane sur chacun de ses films) et dont il endosse la défroque pour la confrontation finale. Même si Chow aime à dire dans ses interviews qu’il n’imite pas le Petit Dragon par respect et que son costume dans Kung Fu Hustle n’est qu’un habit traditionnel chinois il ressemble fortement à celui de Bruce Lee dans La Fureur de vaincre.

Les films appartenant au genre Kung Fu ont une trame identique : «le héros, vaincu ou humilié par son ennemi ou suite à la perte de son maître ou d’un être cher, apprend une nouvelle technique de combat qui lui permettra de se venger». SPOILERS- Ici, un jeune homme naïf (Chow donc) mais attiré par l’argent et le pouvoir tente de rejoindre un clan de gangsters violents et stupides, le clan des Haches qui sévit dans la région. Pour ce faire il doit éliminer par tous les moyens une bande de maîtres en arts martiaux récalcitrants. Toutes les tentatives sont vaines et notre ami est contraint de délivrer un maître surpuissant et incontrôlable. Chow se retrouve au sein d'une confrontation qui dépasse son entendement et y perd des plumes. Les talents martiaux du jeune benêt s'éveilleront finalement et il se tournera du coté de la vertu martiale et de la cause la plus juste. -FIN SPOILERS Le genre est donc ici respecté à la lettre.

Or donc, si les combats de kung fu sont légions, les gags ne manquent pas. Et ils inscrivent ainsi Kung Fu Hustle au sous-genre de la Kung Fu Comedy. Initiée dans les années 70 par Jackie Chan et Yuen Woo Ping et par Sammo Hung, ce sous-genre avait la caractéristique de contrebalancer les scènes d’action intenses par des gags, plus ou moins réussis, et permettant ainsi d’équilibrer le film entre climax violent et moments de détente. Si à l’époque les gags lourds étaient nombreux et prenaient parfois le pas sur l'action ou trop en décalage avec le ton du film, ici les gags issus du « mo Lai To », sont bien alternés avec les combats.

La comédie « mo lai to » (« n’importe quoi » littéralement), est le genre dans lequel excelle Chow et qui a fait sa réputation auprès du public asiatique très demandeur de ce type d’humour. Si pendant plus d’une décennie, Chow a officié dans le molaito, comprenez gags toutes les minutes et scénario au second plan, « on fait rire le public sur le moment », ici l’animal a su canaliser sa force créatrice et humoristique. Comme à son habitude, il ajoute donc sa marque de fabrique au film, son molaito traditionnel. Des gags scatologiques, des gueules pas possible, un humour décalé, des seconds rôles délirants, des situations cartoonesques (Tex Avery en serait fière) et un héros naïf mais au bon cœur, restent les éléments majeurs de ses films. Mais ici il n’y a pas d’accumulation de gags comme avant, ils s'intègrent dans la construction du récit. Les gags et les combats vont jouer alors un rôle essentiel dans la présentation et l’évolution des protagonistes et la progression du récit.

Les moments comiques sont d’ailleurs en parfait équilibre avec les scènes d’action et créent une atmosphère propre au film, pas excessif dans le n’importe quoi, mais pas extrêmement sérieuse non plus. Le métrage en devient réellement divertissant et surprenant, c'est une sorte de cartoon live ! Donc tout est possible et encore plus aujourd'hui avec les effets spéciaux numériques qui mettent cette folie en image. Chow ne se contente pas de nous resservir du vieux Kung Fu comedy et son moleitau d’antan. Il propose sa vision du genre en en rajeunissant la forme et en lissant les bords rugueux. Il a largement recours aux effets spéciaux. Des trucages proches de ceux de Shaolin Soccer pour amplifier les coups (une boule de feu se transforme en poing gigantesque), ou démontrer la force ou les intentions des combattants (un orage fantasmé évoque la méchanceté profonde d'un adversaire).

Par ailleurs, le métrage délivre un message positif et reste humaniste. Si les films de Bruce Lee montraient la force brute et la vengeance, parfois jusqu'à la folie (voir la névrose du héros de La Fureur de Vaincre), il n’y a pas de loi du talion ni de sadisme ici. La violence du film reste contenue. Certes il y a du sang, des coups portés et les effets de force de frappe sont impressionnants, mais le héros ne s’acharne pas, les méchants se massacrent entre eux ou vaincus, ils se repentent. Bref les vengeances sanglantes et froides ou autres tueries finales inutiles sont absentes.

Bien que le film s’ancre de par son genre et son traitement dans l’imaginaire chinois, il n'est pas imperméable. Chow maîtrise parfaitement son sujet et s’adresse à n’importe quel public. Les bons mots, les croyances et métaphores chinoises sont relativement simples à saisir. On y évoque par exemple la puissance de Bouddha comme force divine invulnérable. En fait le vrai talent de Chow est de ne pas proposer qu’une série de combats mais aussi une vision très personnel et poétique du kung fu ce qui donne lieu à des moments intenses. Ainsi les scènes d’action sont sublimées par des métaphores ou une vision traditionnelle et poétique des choses (une pluie de sabres, la métaphore de la transformation du jeune disciple en maître, de la chenille en papillon).

Kung Fu Hustle reste ancré dans un genre chinois très codifié, et le réalisateur ne perd pas de vue son projet. Si le film est grand public, il n’en reste pas moins très personnel et ambitieux. Il prouve que Chow, un des meilleurs acteurs de HK, peut aussi écrire, produire et réaliser avec rigueur un film chinois non édulcoré, et rencontrer un succès public international des plus mérités.

(c) HKCinemagic.com
Chief editor: Thomas Podvin
Published: 12/27/2004
www.hkcinemagic.com/fr

Since the birth of the Chinese film industry a century ago, Shanghai has played a starring role in works by talented filmmakers from all over China, a part she continues today. In the last month alone, Hong Kong director Stanley Kwan (with Jackie Chan as executive producer) wrapped The Song of Everlasting Sorrow (Chang Hen Ge) at the Shanghai Film Studio in Songjiang District, and Chinese-American actress Vivian Wu announced plans to produce and star in a series of movies based in the city. Cheng Liang shares the seemingly endless fascination with Shanghai's distinctive personality. In person, he's the sort of guy who arrives for an interview wearing a checked shirt and a peaked cap, covering his prematurely balding pate. Just 25 years of age, he flashes a warm boyish smile. Indeed, at first he appears rather shy which is altogether fitting for this young man who spends a great deal of time communicating from behind a camera lens.
Shanghai-born, Cheng studied at the prestigious Beijing Film Academy where he produced 15 short films. Since then he's divided his time making TV commercials, TV series and mainstream movies, as well as directing more personal films, with Shanghai center stage. In his spare time, this Wellesian wunderkind writes scripts and novels.
Cheng's short films have been screened (and nominated for awards) at numerous film festivals, including The Toulouse and Cannes Festivals in France, and the Independent Short Film and Video Awards in Hong Kong). His most recent release, Network (Wang), was shown at theaters China-wide, earning big box office receipts. He's currently at work on a major film production in Beijing.

that's: Why did you become a filmmaker?
Leon Cheng: A lot of film directors make the transition from watching movies to making them after realizing that it is a good way to show off their talents – and attract girls. I wasn't really a film buff, but I did want the girls to like me.

that's: You're joking, of course.
LC: Well, I never dreamed about making films as a boy, but I did dream about Shanghai. At film festivals, many works are associated with a city or country; I'm a city filmmaker. There's Chen Kaige in Beijing; Zhang Yimou in the North West; John Woo in Hong Kong and Luc Besson in Paris; I shoot in Shanghai.

that's: Describe your style and theme.
LC: My influence is Shanghai. I'm passionate about the city. I think it's unique in China and the world. Growing up in Shanghai, we are exposed to eastern and western culture, and as a kid I absorbed it all. Beijing is different, more traditional. I live in the former French Concession; it's small but full of subtlety and beauty. This is what I like to film. In Beijing, people say Shanghai is too small. Sure there's more open space there, but in Shanghai, people are more independent. Maybe that's because unlike other Chinese, we think more like foreigners.

that's: Your short film On My Way Home, made when you were a student, is a love story, but one that could have been shot anywhere. What makes it typical of Shanghai?
LC: Shanghai people are very different. Especially the women. They don't want to live quiet lives. In this film, the girl is a very typical Shanghainese. Like most Shanghai girls she wants to make friends with foreigners, to be trendy and live a fashionable life. On the other hand, Shanghai boys are weak; they live ordinary lives. In the film, the boy must attend the University entrance exam; he doesn't have any choice. He's destined to be as ordinary as his parents.

that's: You also directed a famous romantic TV series in Shanghai, Red Apple Garden which relates the story of four boys and a girl.
LC: It wasn't good. I discovered the lead actress, Huang Sheng Yi, who's now one of the most famous actresses from Shanghai! She is in Stephen Chow's Kung Fu Hustle. Anyway, after graduating from the Beijing Film Academy, I wanted to live alone, without roommates, so I needed a lot of money. The plan was to bring a lot of pretty girls from the Beijing Film Academy to play in the TV series, and that's what happened. I brought in some girls and I got this job. One other thing, the TV series was shot by a Taiwanese director and I was the second-unit director. In the Chinese mainland we cannot credit a Taiwanese director, only locals can be credited so they used my name. The series was bad, but it was very hot in China at the time.

that's: You've directed a lot of commercials. Why?
LC: For the money! One or two days' work shooting an advertisement is equal to what I earned on my last two films. The money allows me to take a few months off to think about my own movies and write novels and scripts. It is worth doing.

that's: Tell us about your latest release, Network.
LC: The movie was shown in every city in China. It's about young people so addicted to online gaming that they neglect their studies, their family, everything. And they argue a lot. The producer gave the film this horrible name, Network, I suppose, because a lot of older people think that the Internet has a terrible influence on young people. The film is really about human relationships, but the producers wanted to send a message. In the end, they were right; the title attracted a large audience so I have to eat my words. I shot the film for RMB 1 million, one of the lowest budgets ever for a major studio release in China. But because of the so-called educational content (Chinese schools pushed every student under the age of 16 to see the movie at the discount price of RMB 5 per ticket) it earned between RMB 6-8 million.

that's: What's it like to work in the official Shanghai film community?
LC: The organization is okay, but there's a generation gap. On my first three films, the combined age of the producers was 180 years! While my cameraman and I add up to less than 50 years. So we had a few problems because young people see things differently. For example, we use a German-made camera, "Ariflex"; the producers had never even heard of it. They just don't know the techniques of modern filmmaking. They are more interested in making money for their children which is understandable, and I respect them for that.
that's: What changes would you like to see in the film industry?
LC: I'd like to see more independent film production. Each filmmaker should be allowed to make a movie in his own way. It doesn't require a lot of money; with my team I can shoot on a very low budget.

that's: Changing the industry won't be easy; the Shanghai film industry is said to be the most powerful in China.
LC: The Shanghai film studios formed the first major film center in China many, many years ago. Today it is still one of the leading studios, but not number one. That position belongs to Beijing – practically every good Chinese film is made there.

that's: What's your next project?
LC: My next project is co-directing a big-budget movie with female director Xu Jinglei in Beijing. Independently, I'm working on a movie that will be titled, Zoo Bride or Animal Baby. Yesterday, I was in Suzhou interviewing a girl who owns around 28 cats, five or six dogs and a lot of tortoises. She's crazy about animals, and she's kind of crazy herself, but beautiful too. She's a crazy beauty. I'm fascinated by all the attention she lavishes on animals. It's a very hot topic in China; more and more people are in love with their pets, especially girls. They don't love boys anymore or, don't even want to touch them. They love their dogs more! In the Zoo Bride the main character marries a foreigner, but they fight every day because there are too many animals in the family. I'd like to cast Gao Yuanyuan [lead actress in Shanghai Dreams, winner of the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival] in the lead role, but now that she's famous she may be too expensive for me.

that's: Casting Shanghai as one of the 'lead characters' might cut costs.
LC: Actually, you are wrong. It costs a lot of money to shoot in Shanghai; no matter what the location, you have to pay authorization fees.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
Photo courtesy Hugo Hu www.huphoto.cdd.cn
July 2005 issue

In June, Jia Zhangke chaired the jury panel for the Asian New Talent Awards at the 8th Shanghai International Film Festival, which, not incidentally, celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Chinese film industry. One of China's "sixth generation" directors, his early films were hailed abroad, but not at home. In late 2003, however, officials at the Film Adminstration Bureau shifted their attitude towards a number of the so-called "underground" filmmakers.
Since then, Jia shot The World (Best Feature Film and Best Cinematography at Spain's Sixth Las Palmas International Film Festival), partly sponsored by the state-owned Shanghai Film Studio, and the first of his films to be approved for public screening in Chinese cinemas. He has also announced a new film to be shot near Shanghai at the end of the year based on a novel by Chinese writer Su Tong, The Age of Tattoo, set during the "cultural revolution." And another film about revolutionaries in 1920s Shanghai, which may star French actress Juliet Binoche.
So what's it all about? Born in 1970 in Fengyang, a small town in Shanxi Province, Jia entered the Beijing Film Academy in 1993 and soon went 'underground' with the creation of an independent production company, the "Youth Experimental Film Group", the first of its kind in China. After producing a documentary and two award-winning short films (Xiao Shan and Du Du) Jia focused on capturing the changes in modern Chinese society.
His next three feature length films - Pickpocket (Xiao Wu), Platform and Unknown Pleasures - were financed abroad and not released in the Chinese mainland. However all three works reflect the director's delicate sense of portraiture and the intricate social forces at work in an evolving culture. They also won numerous awards overseas: Platform won the Best Asian Film award at 57th Venice International Film Festival; Pickpocket, the Dragons and Tigers award at the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Wolfgang Staudt Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Sky Prize at the San Francisco International Film Festival, while Unknown Pleasures was selected as the only Chinese film to compete at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2003.
Jia's fourth major work, The World depicts Chinese society as it deals with an international market economy and globalization. He casts a critical but compassionate eye on the relationships and dreams of twenty-somethings who come to live and work at Beijing's World Park, a bizarre theme park featuring live performances amid scaled-down replicas of the Taj Mahal, the Eiffel Tower, and even the Twin Towers. From the sensational opening track shot of a young dancer's backstage quest for a band-aid to the dream-like animation sequences, Jia transcends the kitsch potential of this surreal setting. The Village Voice calls Jia Zhangke "the world's greatest filmmaker under forty," and The World his "funniest, most inventive and touching work to date."

that's: Where did you get the concept for the The World?
Jia Zhangke: I'd been thinking about how Chinese people react to change. Then lead actress Zhao Tao (Tao), who once worked as a dancer in the World Park, told me about the experience of working in this fake world, in these fake situations. I thought this idea reflected what's happening in China as a whole.

that's: Explain the first long take where Tao is looking everywhere for a band-aid.
JZ: I wanted to express a little wound. When I first scouted the location, I witnessed some girls searching for a band-aid. I think the little wound reflects their life, their situation and their work in the World Park.

that's: One of the most important topics from the movie is globalization. How does it influence the life of Chinese?
JZ: Globalization, of course, affects everyone. In China, I feel that many ordinary people contribute to the country's economic development, but their return is small. This process is very painful for many Chinese people, so I wanted to tell a story about it. I am especially worried about young people because globalization seems to dilute their own cultural identity.

that's: There are many copies in the movie, copies of monuments, ID cards, luxury brand clothing. Do you think creativity is lacking in China?
JZ: Yes, I worry that China simply copies Western models. As a result, people lose their own identity. There is a conflict between economic development and cultural identity. A lot of people aren't confident in their ability to create. I hope that we can work to rebuild our cultural confidence. We should go back to the basics, to the foundations of our beliefs, our concept of freedom. That's the starting point to redevelop our own identity.

that's: Communication is another theme in The World. For example, when Taisheng's (Tao's boyfriend) friend comes to visit all he can talk about is money.
JZ: Nowadays, money is too important for most people. It affects their values and relationships. That's why I really think we should go back to the basics.

that's: Ironically, Tao befriends a Russian girl who can't speak Chinese.
JZ: They go back to the basics of communication; they try and find a common language to understand each other. It helps too that they have similar backgrounds; Soviet Union is also a communist nation. In the film there are communication problems, but also miracles of communication.

that's: That miracle doesn't seem to apply to communication between men and women in the film.
JZ: For Tao, communication isn't about having sex with Taisheng; she's self-protective sure, but she wants to build a relationship based on mutual trust.

that's: One of the characters says, "People are one thing China doesn't lack." Meaning?
JZ: It's a challenge to people who are disrespectful to others, especially to migrants who come to work in the big cities. They contribute a lot but don't get much in return. I think they deserve more respect from others, but unfortunately they don't always get it.

that's: The World has been critically acclaimed in the West, but do Chinese filmgoers want to see their society shown this way on screen?
JZ: I have been thinking about this problem for a while. We have had an independent film scene for over 15 years in China, but only in the last two years or so has it won general acceptance. Even now audiences still need more time to develop an appreciation of this kind of film. It is a big challenge. After we released The World, there was a debate about my film and its distribution. To me the debate is very important. The discussion is meaningful to me, whether people loved the movie or not. We still have a problem though in the way Chinese audiences perceive our films, and what kind of film they appreciate. It's a gap between us and them.

that's: Talk about the independent movie scene in China.
JZ: Independent cinema in China is entering a new stage as the Film Bureau relaxes its control. There is more opportunity for young directors, and we have a better chance to distribute our films. However, we still have to improve the way independent films are produced.

that's: What is the difference between the film industries in Shanghai and Beijing?
JZ: There is a big difference. Most of the big talents have settled down in Beijing. Yet with the success of the economy in Shanghai it could easily become the center of the country's film industry as it was in the past.

that's: Talk about your next project.
JZ: The Age of Tattoo is a gangster movie set in the mid-seventies at the end of the "cultural revolution." The shooting will take place in Suzhou, very near to Shanghai. As for financing the project, it won't be a problem for us as we already have the funds. It will be a co-production between Japan, France, Hong-Kong and UK. Regarding the censorship and authorizations, I am not too sure. I'm working on it.

(Special thanks to Jia Zhangke and Chow Keung)

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
Photo courtesy Mick Ryan www.mickryan.com
August 2005 issue

Guanzhou Chief editor: Christopher Cottrell
August 2005 issue