Hong Kong: A Golden Lion-winning Chinese director best known for portraying working-class struggles defended on Saturday his decision to try his hand at commercial cinema as he prepares to make his first kung fu epic.
Jia Zhangke made his name with realist films that describe how China`s youth and workers cope with the country`s rapid economic growth. The 40-year-old filmmaker won the top prize at the 2006 Venice Film Festival with ‘Still Life,’ a drama set against the destruction of a Chinese village to make way for the Three Gorges Dam.
But now Jia, whose credits also include ‘Pickpocket,’ ‘The Platform’ and ‘The World,’ is getting ready to shoot a big-budget martial arts epic set at the beginning of the 20th century.
The native of the northern city of Fenyang says the budget will be at least several million U.S. dollars — huge for the once underground director — and he will hire a Hong Kong fight choreographer. Veteran Hong Kong director Johnnie To, best known for his stylish action thrillers, is his producer.
Critics are wondering if Jia is abandoning his roots. It`s the same charge that was leveled at Jia`s predecessors like Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou. Chen and Zhang won critical acclaim in the West with stark stories of rural hardship but have gravitated toward commercial blockbusters in recent years.
Jia told reporters in Hong Kong on Saturday that his fans have nothing to worry about.
"I will be back. I will not be making period movies forever. Old China is just one part of my imagination. The reality of modern China still attracts me a great deal. I want to prove over time that a director can enjoy a wide repertoire," he said.
The Chinese director, who was visiting Hong Kong to promote his documentary "I Wish I Knew," said he won`t follow the career paths of filmmakers like Chen and Zhang.
"They have already taught us a very good lesson. Why would I want to take the same path? I have seen that that path is no fun," he said.
Jia said he will start shooting his new project, called ‘In the Qing Dynasty’ in Chinese, in March or April in and near his hometown. The story follows changes in a Chinese city after the abolishment of the imperial examination system and growing Western influences. The cast is still being decided.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.