Dialogue on the “Film Era of ‘Her’”: Convey Female Voices to the World through Films

Nowadays, many female filmmakers have shot a series of masterpieces with a passion for film. On June 18, at the 24th Shanghai International Film Festival - DIOR “Film Era of ‘Her’" dialogue, actor and producer Zhao Tao, director Zheng Dasheng, screenwriter Amei, director and screenwriter Cao Jinling, and actress Lu Jing Shan, DIOR China Senior Vice President Xu Qian and other guests focused on female filmmakers and discussed the charm of the “Film Era of ‘Her’".

Original aspiration: Encourage female filmmakers to explore multiple perspectives

From left to right: Tong Ying, Deputy Director of Shanghai International Film & TV Festival Center, actress Zhao Tao, and Xu Yong, General Manager of Dior Perfume & Cosmetics China

This dialogue is a “co-brand” event between the 24th SIFF and Dior.

“I hope this dialogue will encourage more female film practitioners to express themselves and their thoughts, and explore multiple perspectives.” Hervé Perrot, President of Dior China, said that the brand has an indissoluble bond with film art which has long been known as the “Seventh Art” by creating an elegant and independent new female look for the female filmmakers on and off the screen.

Tong Ying, Deputy Director of the Shanghai International Film & TV Festival Center, also said at the scene that SIFF has long been paying attention to the female voice in the development trend of film, and has been committed to build platforms for the talented, hardworking and brave female filmmakers. Through this collaboration with Dior, both parties will be dedicated to encouraging film practitioners to express themselves, convey their ideas and record stories of the times through shooting, and to promoting female film creation.

Sharing: Show the power of “her” in light and shadow

The scene of the dialogue

The theme of the dialogue is around two keywords: film and women. Producer and film critic Sheng Yanhong, as the host, interacted with the guests and asked them questions.

As a representative of widely influential female filmmakers, actress and producer Zhao Tao has shaped many tough and kind female images, and has won numerous laurels at major international film festivals, fully demonstrating the charm and power of contemporary Chinese female filmmakers. “Film can enrich my inner world, and also revealed to me the strength of women.” Zhao Tao shared her true feelings in filming “Mountains May Depart” and “Ash is Purest White”. “In the past 22 years of filming, all the roles I have played are ordinary women. They live with their own emotional entanglements, but they are strong with doubt.” Zhao Tao said that there is a strong feeling during the shooting process-Keep dignity as the female role she plays, and face difficulties boldly.

Director and screenwriter Cao Jinling agreed with her in this respect. She recalled the admirable female medical staff when directing the documentary “ Days and Nights in Wuhan”, “They worked hard with love, pain, courage and hope, and they brought hope to many patients. This is what we are exploring in this film.” Cao Jinling shared a detail. A nurse who went to Wuhan to offer medical assistance suffered from systemic lupus erythematosus, but due to the shortage of medical staff on the front line of the “war against the epidemic”, she volunteered regardless of the disease. In the film, the head nurse also mentioned that there are three nurses in the suckling period in the team, who have given up feeding their children personally to protect the patients. “There also two medical staff encouraging each other that after all we’ll overcome it while eating lunch with tears in their eyes.” These dribs and drabs of ordinary women’s experience has been shot faithfully and made public.

Dialogue: Give more prominence to the image of women in the era

Group photo of the guests

In the process of making films, female screenwriters are presenting stories from a unique perspective. The screenwriter Amei said that as she perceives, there are two types of female films. One is to express women's subjectivity and independence from the perspective of the relationship between men and women, and the other is to directly show the strong inherent subjectivity and action of women, “I hope to create more works showing the female perspective in the future.”

At the event, director Zheng Dasheng also shared personal ideas. “From art films to commercial films, it is obvious that female directors are very capable of action and execution. I am also curious about and full of expectations for this, and I hope to see diversification in creative forms to further give prominence to the image of women of our time.”

At present, more and more female filmmakers have won both fame and box office with their works. Many films made in the perspective of female are “acclaimed and popular”. “Many female characters, with a strong ability to tolerate pressure, are very impressive. We hope to convey the power of women through image shaping.” Lu Jingshan, the actress who has filmed “Wolf Warriors 2” and “Hello, Mrs. Money”, shared some of her favorite female films. She also hopes to further deepen her understanding of female roles in filming.

The times are on the move, and women are constantly pushing forward the boundaries of their career. Xu Qian, Senior Vice President of Dior China, also participated in the live sharing session, “The Film Era of ‘Her’ is more like a platform.” Xu Qian said that she expects the brand to continue its cooperation with SIFF to witness the rise of more female filmmakers to show the colorful female images on screen.