Although a film about antelope poaching in Tibet may not be everyone's cup of yak tea, in his highly acclaimed Mountain Patrol (Kekexili), Xinjiang-born director Lu Chuan tells the valiant story of a group of Tibetans and their battle against such poachers. "To make a film requires a lot of courage," says Lu. Indeed it does. Tackling thorny social issues isn't easy in China and like the mountain patrol, Lu has sometimes had to sacrifice principle for commercial reality.
Lu's sacrifices have not always been restricted to the financial end of things. His first film, The Missing Gun, was a "nightmare" for the young Beijing Film Academy graduate. Two years later, he went back for more, shooting Mountain Patrol on the 5000-meter high Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Warmth and oxygen were luxuries; Lu became severely ill and one member of the production team fell victim to Tibet's notoriously risky roads.
For his hardship he was awarded the chance to represent China in the Foreign Language Film category at the Academy Awards in March 2006. But the world of film financing being what it is, his newfound fame did little to attract investors, and he had to abandon his plans for Nanking! Nanking! -- a film about the Nanjing Massacre. Yet Lu is not the type to surrender so easily. Like the yaks that graze the Tibetan plateau, he thrives in harsh environments.
His latest project, Border Area (Bian Jiang), is currently in production in the Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region. The plot has broad appeal and casting Hong Kong singer/actor Leon Lai should help increase the film's earning potential, so hopes are high. Produced by Huayi Brothers & Taihe Films, Border Area is adapted from the Wang Gang novel "Yinggelishi" with a screenplay written by Lu's father, Lu Tianming. The film follows a Xinjiangnese student who tries to learn English for the love of his classmate; a decision that brings unexpected turns to his life. Something Lu himself should be familiar with.

(c) that's Shanghai Magazine
Chief editor: Steven Crane
October 2005 issue