Daily News-June 16th

Red carpet festival guestNicholas Cage motivated by fans

By Liza Li(Shanghai Daily)

Nicolas Cage, Academy Award- winning U.S. actor, director and producer, walked the red carpet at the opening of the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival yesterday.

The star met the press before the opening ceremony and said he’s happy to be in Shanghai to meet the fans whose love and support is what motivates him to make great films.

Cage won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Actor in 1996 for“Leaving Las Vegas." His reputation was confirmed by later roles in films including“The Rock,”“Face/Off,”“Con Air”and“City of Angels.” He received another Academy Award nomination in 2003 for“Adaptation.”

The actor said he has found the best filmmaking experiences come simply from the story and the movie, not the awards.

“I\'ve had it a few times in my professional life, when the people involved in creating the film and telling the story are simply doing it because they care and love what they are making,”Cage said.

One of his upcoming new films is called“Primal,”a story about a big game hunter for zoos who has booked passage on a Greek shipping freighter with a fresh haul of exotic and deadly animals from the Amazon.

Also on board is a political assassin who is being extradited in secret to the U.S. Two days into the journey, the assassin escapes and releases the captive animals, throwing the ship into chaos.

“As a hunter, I have to use my skills, be quicker and more strategic,”said Cage.

“Primal”is currently in postproduction. Cage will also reprise the voice of Grug in “The Croods 2” which is scheduled for release in 2020.

Nicholas Cage showeel in Red carpet festival. ( Pic by CFP)

Nicholas Cage shared his opinions in scene. (Pic by CFP)

SPOT

New film of acclaimed huju opera \'Thunderstorm\' announced

By Liza Li(Shanghai Daily)

A new film production of the Shanghai huju opera version of the popular play“Thunderstorm”was announced yesterday at the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival.

The project is a collaboration of Shanghai Huju Opera Troupe and New Culture Media Group.

Published in 1934, "Thunderstorm" was written by playwright Cao Yu and has remained one of the most popular Chinese dramatic works. It focuses on the conflicts between members of the wealthy, bourgeois Zhou family and its eventual demise.

“Thunderstorm”was first adapted into huju in 1937 by Shanghai Huju Opera Troupe and revised in 1959 for performance by all founders of the seven schools of huju.

The star-studded 1959 production became a sensation in Shanghai and was recognized by Cao as the version most closely related to his original work. It has been staged ever since.

Mao Shanyu, director of Shanghai Huju Opera Troupe and lead actress in“Thunderstorm,”said the project would open a new cinema era for Shanghai opera.

"For half a century, \'Thunderstorm’has been polished and performed by artists of the troupe, retaining the classic elements and adding a sense of contemporary times,”she said.

In the early 1960s, Shanghai Film Studio produced two huju films,“Xing Xing Zhi Huo”("Sparks of Fire") and “Luo Han Qian,”which introduced the genre to much broader audiences.

"It has been performed by a few generations of huju artists and making it into a film has been a dream come true for us,”said Mao.

“Combining the traditional art with film will draw younger audiences and help people understand our cultural genes," she added

The movie will be shot at Hengdian World Studios in Dongyang, Zhejiang Province.

The group photo of "Thunderstorm" creator in cherf. (Pic by Tigong)

The scene of press conference. (Pic by Tigong)

FOCUS

Film stars, celebrities gather for 21st festival\'s opening night

By Joyce Xu(Shanghai Daily)

The 21st Shanghai International Film Festival raised its curtain last night at Shanghai Grand Theater with a star- studded red carpet parade and grand opening ceremony.

Several hundred film celebrities from home and abroad walked down the red carpet.

Among the stars were American actor Nicolas Cage, Austrian actor Christoph Waltz, British actor Jason Statham and mainland actress Li Bingbing.

Cage, on his first visit to Shanghai, said he has had a wonderful time in the city.

“I love the city’s architecture, cuisine, and most of all, the people,”said Cage.

Mainland filmmaker and actor Jiang Wen, jury president of the Golden Goblet Awards for Feature Film, brought his new action comedy, “Hidden Man,” to the festival.

Jiang said his affinity with Shanghai International Film Festival began in the 1990s. It is his fifth time to attend the event.

Hong Kong filmmaker and producer Nansun Shi, jury president of the festival’s Asian New Talent Awards, told young filmmakers to persist in their film dreams and their efforts will pay off one day.

The film crew of“Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings,”including director Hark Tsui and actress Carina Lau, also attended the opening ceremony. The film will be released in China next month.

In the eyes of Chinese American TV personality Yue- Sai Kan, Shanghai International Film Festival has become "the most influential film fest in Asia." It has also witnessed the progress of Chinese cinema.

Mainland filmmaker Han Yan’s thriller movie“Animal World”was the festival’s opening film.

In addition to film competitions for the Golden Goblet Awards and Asian NewTalent Awards, the festival will host a film panorama, film forum, SIFF Project and international film market. It will run through to June 25.

Christoph Waltz, gave a speak in opening ceremony. (Pic by CFP)

Jiang Wen, Chinese filmmaker and actor, jury president of the Golden Goblet Awards for Feature Film. (Pic by CFP)

FORUM

Internet leaders discuss trends for mega online series

By Joyce Xu(Shanghai Daily)

Internet industry leaders discussed the new opportunities and challenges for domestic online variety shows at the10th China Network Audio-Visual Industry Forum on June 16.

The online genre is generating strong interest from investors and advertisers, heard the forum, a program of the 2018 Shanghai International Film and TV Festival.

Song Binghua, an official of Youku, said a few homegrown online variety series have budgets exceeding 300 million yuan. In the near feature, he added, more mega- productions of online variety will emerge in China.

Insiders noted that in terms of diversity, interactivity and more freedom for creation, online variety shows have more chance to innovate compared with traditional TV programs.

New technologies in big data analysis and artificial intelligence are also incorporated into the shows’ production.

Lu Wei, director of the hit online variety series "Street Dance of China," said producers usually made adjustments to shows based on instant feedback and comments from online viewers.

A complete industry chain for online variety series is now taking shape, the forum was told, covering almost all parts of cultural and entertainment consumption. Spin-offs in music, literature, games and animation will also be further developed.

The scene of forum. (Pic by Tigong)