Chinese director Zhang Yimou Le Vision Pictures
Zhang Yimou, China’s most prolific and internationally acclaimed director, is bringing something new to the country’s booming box office with his latest work, “Coming Home.”
The low-budget period drama, which stars Gong Li and tells the story of a man who reunites with his wife and daughter after years of separation due to the Cultural Revolution, has so far raked in almost 300 million yuan ($48 million), a record for a domestic art-house film.
Previous works by the 62-year-old director—including his 1987 directorial debut “Red Sorghum,” “Ju Dou” and “Raise the Red Lantern”—were influential in shaping the way Westerners looked at old China.
Mr. Zhang also has run afoul of the government. Earlier this year, he was fined $1.2 million for violating China’s one-child policy, an event he declined to discuss much.
Days after returning from the Cannes Film Festival, at which “Coming Home” screened out of competition, Mr. Zhang sat down with China Real Time at his Beijing workshop. He talked about his love for martial arts, the challenge of making art-house films in China and his favorite American TV shows. Edited excerpts:
Why did you choose to produce “Coming Home” now?
I didn’t choose to do it. It happened simply because I got the novel [on which it’s based]. China is so hungry for a good screenplay and it’s very hard to get a good one. Though getting the novel wasn’t planned, making “Coming Home” happened the way it did because I believe in “walking with two legs”: on the one hand, I make low-budget art-house films like “Coming Home”; on the other, I will continue to make commercial films like “Hero” [a 2002 martial arts blockbuster starring Jet Li].
Can the commercial success of “Coming Home” help revive the local art-house film industry?
Yes. I made this film to test the market. If we fail, we’ll just curse a little and forget it, but if it does OK, it will give us confidence. (Watch the trailer on YouTube.)
Why did you decide to make “Hero”?
I’m actually a big martial arts fan. I started reading martial arts fiction novels during the Cultural Revolution, when they were banned, and I started to practice [martial arts] when I was 17.
So why didn’t you start your directorial career with a martial arts film?
When we—the so-called “fifth generation” of directors—started up, the broader environment was very artistic. So we reflected a lot on history and I put my love for martial arts aside.
Did the success of “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” inspire your martial arts films?
No, I started writing a script for a martial arts film before “Crouching Tiger.” When “Crouching Tiger” was released, I actually thought about giving up on the project because I didn’t want people to think I was following suit.
Do you want to lead other filmmakers to produce art-house films in China?
I’d like to reverse the trend in this overly commercial environment. People always say the local market needs diversity. I agree that if the market only has commercial films, it isn’t healthy. So I made “Coming Home” in a very uncommercial way.
Your next project is a Hollywood film. Can you tell us more?
It’s going to be very challenging for me because it’s going to be completely in English. I used to reject this kind of project, but after I made “The Flowers of War”—which was partially in English—I found the feedback wasn’t bad so I changed my mind. But I only take projects that have a China-related story with Chinese elements. Otherwise, I just can’t do much with it.
Will the film target local audiences or international audiences?
We’ll target global audiences, taking the international market into account, from casting to screenplay. It was very different from “Coming Home,” and it was the first time I’ve really thought about the international market.
What will your involvement in this Hollywood project bring to the local market?
Most Chinese directors are like me: We can’t speak English. But if I can do a good job, maybe more Western studios will come to look for another “Li Yimou” or “Wang Yimou.”
How does working with a Hollywood team differ from working with a local team?
Hollywood people are very professional. Take crew interviews, for example. The candidates are all masters at what they do with perfect resumes. Some of them even flew to us for the interview. I was so surprised. In China, it’s very different.
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Do you watch American TV series or films?
I watch a lot of them, like “24,” “Breaking Bad” and “House of Cards.” I watch all the TV shows that make headlines here, including that Korean TV show, “My Love From the Star.”
Do you like House of Cards?
Yes. The way Netflix put all the episodes online all together is very interesting.
What’s your favorite American TV drama?
The first American drama I liked was Steven Spielberg’s “Band of Brothers.” I watched all the episodes all together.
Do you have a favorite foreign actor?
Once I saw Denzel Washington when I was on a promotional tour for “House of Flying Daggers.” I asked my translator to help me talk to him.
How do Hollywood films affect the Chinese market?
They’re good for the market because these world-class films help improve local audiences’ appreciation level. But the bad side is on the taste. [China has] an import quota, and the importers prefer big-budget blockbusters, which makes Chinese audiences picky eaters. I was shocked to find an award-winning art-house film was a total flop in China’s theaters.
What do you think is the most urgent problem facing China’s film market?
Diversity of taste really matters. If local audiences’ tastes aren’t diverse, it doesn’t matter how hard you try to build things like art-house theaters. A good film should do more than just cater to local audiences; it should also help to shape their tastes.
From: http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/06/11/zhang-yimou-on-failure-house-of-cards-and-coming-home/