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
