Daily News-June 23rd

FORUM

Chinese movie hits the high road with Best Film award

By Liza Li(Shanghai Daily)

Chinese film "The Road Not Taken" by director Tang Gaopeng has won Best Film award at the Asian New Talent Awards of the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival.

The film tells the story of several people with distinct personalities who meet on a highway in western China and experience a series of events over three days and two nights.

"The Asian New Talent Awards has allowed people to see us and I want to thank the jury for recognizing our sincerity and effort," Tang said in accepting the award.

"I also want to thank SIFF for getting us started four years ago at the Pitch and Catch Project, and bringing us back to this warm and bright haven today," he added.

The Best Director award was won by Yui Kiyohara from Japan for“Our House.”The jury spoke highly of her unique and rigorous storytelling techniques that illustrated the relationship between people and the definition of home.

“It’s my first film and I hope everyone can support me," she said. "It wasn\'t an easy process to figure out what kind of film I wanted to make. I also want to thank my mentor and team very much.”

Shireen Seno won the Best Scriptwriter award for her film“Nervous Translation.”The jury commended the Japanese writer on the script which it said offered a new imagination of Asian films through unconventional storytelling.

The Best Actress award went to Negar Moghaddam from Iran for her performance film“Dressage.”

Ding Xihe won Best Actor award for his performance in“Looking For Lucky”which the jury said was a modest interpretation of the colorful world of young Chinese people.

Ouyang Yongfeng\'s work on“Blue Amber”won the Best Cinematographer award.

The international jury panel for this year’s Asian New Talent Awards was headed by Hong Kong producer Shi Nansun who was joined by Filipino director Raya Martin, Chinese actress Song Jia and Chinese cinematographer Zeng Jian.

The scene of the "Asian New Talent Awards." Pic by CFP

FOCUS

Experts endorse better film treatment for Chinese opera stories

By Liza Li(Shanghai Daily)

The introduction of the art of traditional Chinese opera to bigger audiences through film is raising awareness of Chinese culture, an opera film panel was told yesterday at the ongoing 21st Shanghai International Film Festival.

Examples of this were the 3D Peking Opera film “Cao Cao and Yang Xiu”in 2016 and the recently launched Shanghai huju opera film project "Thunderstorm."

Advanced film technology also enabled more innovate storytelling through traditional Chinese opera, the panel was told.

Gu Haohao, president of Shanghai Center of Chinese Opera and Shanghai Kunqu Opera Troupe, said the city, a birthplace of Chinese cinema, was also the origin of Chinese opera films. These included the first color Yue opera film "Butterfly Lovers" and the kunqu opera "Shiwuguan."

"When I was studying opera in school, I learned about the wonderful performances of the great opera masters through films," said Gu. "In my heart, I always thought it was very sacred, and expanding its cultural influence internationally was also one of my original intentions."

Shang Changrong, a veteran Peking opera master who portrayed Cao Cao in“Cao Cao and Yang Xiu,”said the key to opera films was how to combine their drama with reality.

“We’ve had a few 3D opera films since‘Farewell Concubines’and learned from them that making artistic documentaries is not enough," he said.

"We not only need to show the art of Peking Opera, but also feature its wonderful techniques and skills through advanced technology.”

Yan Xingpeng, the famous Peking opera artist who played Yang Xiu in“Cao Cao and Yang Xiu,” said the essence of operatic art and performance must be captured accurately in portraying opera in film.

Fang Yafen, leading actress and star of the 3D Yue opera movie "The Love Story In The Western Chamber,”said that she also became an opera artist after watching Chinese opera films. She said today\'s opera artists should also acquire film and television performance skills.

The panel was told the challenge of making Chinese operas into films was in how to capture every aspect of the classics. They needed to be screened in theaters to appeal to younger audiences to help break traditional art form boundaries and expand their influence globally.

The group photo of the guests in press release. Pic by Tigong

SPOT

Popular Thai animated movie has special screening

By Joyce Xu(Shanghai Daily)

A special screening was held in Shanghai yesterday of "The Legend of Muay Thai: 9 Satra," a Thai animated film.

The dubbing team for the Chinese version, including actors Du Jiang and Jiang Luxia, attended the screening and shared their stories about the work with the audience.

Earlier this year, the film was a "dark horse" hit at the box office in Thailand. It revolves around the growth of a young man who is adept at Thai boxing and concerns his fight against evil.

It took the crew around 4 years to produce the movie.

Chinese mainland actor Du Jiang said the animated movie was ideal for people of various ages in terms of its good story and visuals.

The film will hit cinemas across China on June 29.

The group photo of the creator in chief. Pic by Wang Rongjiang