Interview with young filmmakers in Cannes: Look up at the stars and be down-to-earth

From last year's "Evil" and "Happy Funeral" to this year's "Passing Through the Future", young directors have begun to shine in the industry. They have different views on current technology and market conditions.

Original title: Young China directors or happy times

"Passing the Future" poster

Most of the China film directors who appeared at international film festivals in the past were well-known directors such as Zhang Yimou and Jia Zhangke, but in this year's Cannes, the power of young China directors cannot be underestimated. The only Chinese-language feature film "Passing Through the Future" shortlisted for this film festival is from young director Li Ruijun. The two director's debut films,"Evil" and "Joy and Funeral", which were highly successful at the First Youth Film Festival in Xining last year, were also well received after being screened in Cannes. When digital shooting technology is innovated and the technical threshold for making films is lowered, are young directors getting closer and closer to their movie dreams? And what is the market's attitude towards young directors? In response, the reporter interviewed a number of young directors and producers at the Cannes Film Festival to listen to their thoughts.

Talking about themes: Family and rural themes are more popular.

Zhang Tao, Ma Kai and Li Ruijun all came to the Cannes Film Festival for the first time with their works. Zhang Tao's first directorial debut "Joy and Funeral" won the best film at the 2016 Xining First Youth Film Exhibition. Ma Kai, who was in the same year as him, also won the "Best Art Exploration Award" for his debut "Evil". Director Li Ruijun, who once directed "Home in a Place with Rich Water and Grass", was the first time his work was shortlisted for Cannes. This time, the film "Passing Through the Future" directed by him was shortlisted for the "One Attention" unit.

It is worth mentioning that the works brought to Cannes by several young directors all chose family themes. "Passing through the Future" focuses on the life emotions of the first generation of migrant workers in China and their children. The film not only explores social issues, but also is a story about family and love.

The story of "Joy and Funeral" focuses on the problems of the elderly in rural areas. Although "Evil" is a thriller theme, it is also a review of rural superstitious culture. Although the three people's films have different stories behind them, they all show the responsibility of young China directors.

Zhang Tao said that the reason why he chose this theme was actually related to his family: "My grandma and grandma have passed away, and my mother left this year. The topic of death has always troubled me. I want to shoot this theme from the bottom of my heart. China people are very taboo about talking about life and death, but the ancients never avoided this topic. The most talked about in The Analects of Confucius is about birth, old age, illness and death." He revealed that he will continue to pay attention to topics related to family ethics in the future, and the second feature film "Genealogy" is currently under preparation.

In addition, family is also the source of inspiration for several young directors 'creations. Li Ruijun said frankly that "Passing Through the Future" is full of a large number of descriptions of contemporary migrant workers, and the inspiration for his creation is largely based on his daily experience of working abroad at home. Observation by relatives.

Talking about actors: It doesn't matter whether amateurs or stars. The key is that the director who can shape the character

and make a movie for the first time has very little chance of hiring a star to act. Therefore, non-professional actors have become the first choice for most young directors.

The actors of "Roadside Picnic", which was well received earlier, are almost from the relatives and friends of director Bi Gan, and "Joy and Funeral" also uses all extras. These extras not only showed no cowardice, but even contributed extremely natural acting skills in front of the camera. Among them, Yu Fengyun, the actor who plays the old mother, is over 80 years old, but her acting skills are applauded. At last year's First Film Festival, jury chairman Wong Kar-wai insisted on awarding her the "Best Actress". After the film was screened in Cannes, her performance also won high praise from many viewers. The director revealed that Yu Fengyun has been a farmer all his life, but he has loved singing since he was young. Being able to find her to star this time is a blessing for this movie: "After watching her performance, I was deeply shocked. It turns out that an ordinary farmer can have such dreams."

Yu Fengyun, who plays the old mother in "Wedding Funeral", is over eighty years old, but her acting skills are applauded.

Ma Kai's "Evil" also uses all extras. He used to be the assistant to the deputy director in Hengdian to select actors, and found the leading cast through the special actors he knew. In order to adapt these non-professional actors to movie performances, Ma Kai constantly rehearsed with them, urging them not to use the exaggerated acting methods of TV dramas, and even taking them to the cemetery to "experience life" in order to allow them to feel like acting in a thriller.

The difference is that after "Tell Them I Went on a White Crane" and "Home in a Place with Plenty of Water and Grass" successively used grassroots actors, Li Ruijun switched to cooperating with professional actors such as Yang Zishan and Yin Fang in "Passing the Future". Li Ruijun himself was very satisfied with this cooperation: "Yang Zishan's character fell ill and needed a process of gradually losing weight. She started to diet and only ate a few shrimps and green vegetables every day, losing nearly 20 pounds."

Li Ruijun (center), director of "Passing Through the Future",

talks about the market with actors: Audiences are more tolerant of young directors.

In the past, art films and their creators were often labeled as "boring" and "raw and difficult to understand". However, this time at the Cannes Film Festival, several films from China directors not only had realistic stories, but also enhanced viewability.

With a cost of 70,000 yuan and an 18-day shooting cycle, Ma Kai's ultra-low-cost debut film "The Evil" won countless awards and appeared in Cannes, and will soon appear on the domestic big screen. Regarding all of this, the young director who once failed the art exam, came from a martial arts school, and worked as an actor in Hengdian Group said bluntly that it was unbelievable: "I have been making short films since 2011 as long as I made a little money, but my friends didn't understand it. At that time, my instincts told me to persevere. I may not see anything now, but it will definitely bring me something in the future. The emergence of digital machines has changed the fate of many people." Next, Ma Kai wants to try to make a series of new genres that will launch domestic thrillers so that the public can see China's own thriller movies.

Li Ruijun believes that overall, the living environment of China's art films is developing in a positive direction, with more and more financing and distribution channels, and audiences are more tolerant than before: "How could my films be in theaters a few years ago? But I can now."

Zhang Tao believes that as the audience's aesthetics improves, the threshold for shooting is lowered, and young filmmakers have a better display platform.

Talking about the international market: The entry threshold for young directors is still not low

. In the international market, many filmmakers have more understanding and interest in the films of young China directors. Of course, if they want to be selected for the international film festival, young directors still have a long way to go.

This time "Passing Through the Future" was selected for Cannes, producer Lin Jing admitted that "I didn't expect it at the beginning." Lin Jing said that after Jia Zhangke, there has been a gap in the understanding of China films in international film festivals. Coupled with the fact that many young directors in China now want to make more types of films, or want to make commercial films with high box office, it is still very difficult for today's young directors to enter international film festivals. But on the other hand, the audience and the market are increasingly tolerant of art films and their creators: "As long as you make a work seriously, they will definitely give you good feedback. This is the best era for young directors."

In view of the fact that many art films have been "gilded" in foreign film festivals in recent years, but still encounter the problem of "difficulty in arranging films" in the domestic film market, Yang Shuo, the producer of "Passing the Future", is optimistic about the domestic screening of "Passing the Future". He said that the film was shortlisted in Cannes and has first-line actors. At the same time, more well-established theaters such as Blue Ocean and Jackie Chan are also willing to give more screenings to this film. Coupled with the Art Alliance theater, it is still optimistic about the prospects.

Yang Shuo, who has participated in the development of the works of many young directors, revealed that compared with the past, today's young directors have more opportunities and more possibilities in terms of resources. For example, he gave an example that the new project "My Robot Brother" that he is participating in developing is also the first debut of a young director, but he is already able to cooperate with Vita Studios in New Zealand, known as "the world's most powerful special effects company."

Top comment: Young directors must look up at the stars and be

down-to-earth. In recent years, more and more outstanding young directors have been seen, and their works have come out through domestic and foreign film festivals to communicate with the audience and the market. Last year, there were excellent masterpieces such as "Roadside Picnic" and "August", and this year, movies such as "Passing the Future" shone on the Cannes stage.

In recent years, the domestic market environment for art film creation has gradually improved. More theaters have begun to provide art film opportunities, and major film festivals have also provided young directors with more financing opportunities and display platforms. After 11 years, Xining's First Youth Film Exhibition has unearthed young rookies such as Xin Yukun, director of "Heart Maze", director of "Evil", and director of "Joy and Funeral". Bi Gan's "Roadside Picnic" and Zhang Dalei's "August" successfully appeared in domestic theaters after its stunning appearance at the Golden Horse Film Festival; It can be said that today's young directors have ushered in the best era in history. Their works can be seen through various channels. We must cherish these excellent artistic directors more. After all, a mature film market must not only have high-box office commercial blockbusters, but also have these artistic sketches that have a more detailed observation of life.

Of course, opportunities and talents complement each other. Opportunities are for those who are prepared. The types of works of young directors can be diverse, but they must have insight and sensibility into life to resonate with the audience, rather than just a kind of simple "groan without illness", one must look up at the stars, and one must be down-to-earth. Only in this way can a positive interaction between the creator and the audience be formed and the environment for domestic art films be more complete.

When interviewing three young directors this time, they all said "very shocking" when talking about their first visit to Cannes. Although he has been to many international film festivals, Li Ruijun is still deeply impressed by Cannes's "sense of ceremony":"Here are the best audiences, the best screening locations, and the best films. You can feel what it means to respect filmmakers." I hope that in the near future, this atmosphere will also be passed down to China, giving more attention and respect to domestic art films and young creators.

Editor: jessica