Jean-Jacques Annaud:Let Films Have Dialogue with The World

Jean-Jacques Annaud,the Jury President for the Gold Goblet Award

Daily News: How do you feel about being the Jury President for the Gold Goblet Award in this year\'s SIFF?
Jean-Jacques Annaud: I fell delighted to come to Shanghai. It is my first visit and SIFF has given me a chance to know this city and to meet many film peers. During the nine days, I will concentrate on reviewing the 17 nominees competing for the Gold Goblet Award. I cannot see these excellent films in France which is another reason for coming here. In the meantime, I very much like traditional as well as modern Chinese culture and this time offers me an opportunity to profoundly experience Chinese life.

Daily News: What impressions did you have of SIFF before coming to Shanghai?
Jean-Jacques Annaud: SIFF is one of the biggest film festivals in Asia. After many successful years, it is receiving more and more attention from global film producers, becoming a platform for them to get to know Chinese films. Many people have mentioned SIFF to me and my friends say I am very lucky to be the Jury President. China and its extensive culture is astounding film producers from around the world.

Daily News: What are you expectations for the coming reviewing process?
Jean-Jacques Annaud: I am excited to be able to watch so many excellent nominees for the Gold Goblet Award. I am also excited to work with jury members from other countries to explore films of diverse styles from various cultures. It is in the interests of these different cultures that I hope our judgments can be neutral, objective and convincing.

Daily News: Your film The Bears is to be screened during this year\'s SIFF. Could you tell us the process used in choosing the bears? We are very interested in the human-animal relationship in this film.
Jean-Jacques Annaud: First, while shooting, I wanted to present this film from the perspective of animals rather than from that of humans. As a matter of fact, the selection of the bear was no different form the selection of a leading actor or actress. I travelled around the globe and paid visits to zoos and circuits in the hope of finding appropriate bears. Every bear, you know, has its unique character. So when choosing, I paid special attention to the interactions with them to observe their responses: interaction or resistance. It is the same, whether interacting with animals or with actors or actresses. As a director, I always endeavor to have a deep understanding of others\' feelings with a view to striking a chord with the bottom of the heart.

Daily News: In my view, history is more often than not simple. Another film to be screened, The Name of the Rose, is adapted from a novel of the same name with an intricate plot. Why did you choose to shoot this comparatively difficult film?
Jean-Jacques Annaud: Film has a century-long history and for me I just shot another film. There are so many fantastic films in the world and I just managed to produce some challenging films that gave audiences different experiences. When I was still a student, I became obsessed with diverse cultures. When I read this novel and decided to produce the film, many people believed I could not finish it. After initial screening, however, I received a lot of praise, with comments like "my film is awesome" and "the story is not novel any longer". What I do want to say is that "this is indeed a film, not a novel". I still feel content with it, even in retrospect many years later. I not only delivered the film, but also learned many things during the shooting.

Daily News: Is it true that many audiences are perhaps more familiar with your film The Lover?
Jean-Jacques Annaud: The Lover is my "First Asian Experience" so it is one of my films closer to Asians. It was an enlightening and touching experience to shoot The Lover. In terms of the film itself, I benefited from the major actors\' and actresses\' performances. It was the first film of the leading actress Jane March and the leading actor Tony Leung who is also gifted and talented.

Daily News: What special features in Wolf Totem attracted you to shoot another film involving animals?
Jean-Jacques Annaud: Wolf Totem is a rich book depicting the most beautiful environment I\'ve ever read about. I was attracted not by its Chinese author but by the reality that many Chinese readers like it. I feel excited because I\'m going to transmit to other areas in the world the following concept: China has such outstanding awareness of environment protection. I was also touched by the subtle relationship between the boy and the wolf for I was once a boy with adventurous ideas at that age.

Daily News: In your view, what is an excellent director?
Jean-Jacques Annaud: To be an excellent director, first, you must be able to have a keen understanding of how people feel and what the real meaning of the story is. Second, you must be able to give full expression to it through the filming. For me, feelings as well as expressions must originate from the heart. In film art, what audiences see is often not limited by what they have seen. Through directing and acting, movies should convey a feeling or context. Directors should have a strong understanding of the expression of feelings.

Daily News: In light of the strong reaction to films like The Artist, do you think this is indicative of another golden age for French films?
Jean-Jacques Annaud: French films were popular globally from the 1930s to the 1950s. In the ensuing 50 years, however, we saw many imitations of that distinctive French style. During the past 20 years, Luc Besson and I have made ceaseless efforts to prove to film fans in France and in other countries that we are capable of producing individualized films. We call these films "Writeralization Films" because they are not only scholarly films but a combination of artistic elements and popular elements. Some young producers have joined us and expect to create films that will be more popular with audiences.

Since childhood, I have been fascinated with China. At a young age, I started collecting books and postcards, then records of traditional music, Mandarin and Cantonese Opera.

It is a great honor and joy for me to be offered to become the Jury President of  the 15th Shanghai International Film Festival.

I should devote my next years to immerse myself in China, shooting there for many months, getting to know better the various components, traditions and cultures  that makes the fascinating diversity of the great and united nation of China.
Jean-Jacques Annaud