"Lost Orphans" director Peng Sanyuan talks about the movie prototype Guo Gangtang found his son who had been abducted for 24 years,
"The best ending of the movie is the current ending"
"It has been 15 years. Only when I am on the road do I feel that I am a father." Guo Gangtang's words became a famous line in the 2015 film "Lost Orphans".
According to CCTV News, recently, Guo Xinzhen (also known as Guo Zhen), whose son Guo Xinzhen (also known as Guo Zhen) was abducted in the movie "Lost Orphans", the prototype of his father Guo Gangtang, was found by the police, and the suspect was under police control.
On July 11, the Ministry of Public Security organized public security organs in Shandong and Henan to hold a ceremony for the family of Guo Gangtang and Guo Xinzhen in Liaocheng.
On July 13, a reporter from the Beijing News contacted Peng Sanyuan, director of "Lost Orphans," and talked about the recognition of Guo Gangtang and his kidnapped son. Peng Sanyuan said, "The best ending of the movie is the current ending. Guo Gangtang was able to find him as he wished. His son, he doesn’t need to run on the road anymore, he has been running for 24 years."
If the sequel to "Lost Orphans" is filmed again, Peng Sanyuan hopes that it will be a perfect ending. She hopes that the story of Guo Gangtang and Guo Xinzhen will happen in more families looking for children.
Guo Gangtang no longer has to carry such a heavy burden
The Beijing News: When did you know that Guo Gangtang and the kidnapped son Guo Xinzhen recognized each other?
Peng Sanyuan: The good news I learned four or five days ago, tears came directly to my eyes, tears filled my eyes, and I couldn't believe it.
Beijing News: After knowing that Guo Gangtang met his son, how did the crew of "Lost Orphan" react?
Peng Sanyuan: Our crew has a group, which has not been disbanded.
I sent a video to Guo Gangtang at noon on the 13th, and I also told you about this in the crew group. Everyone sent videos to the group one after another. It was a blessing.
Now the main creators of our group are recording videos, and plan to edit all the videos together to make a collection and give it to Guo Gangtang and Guo Xinzhen.
The desire in our hearts is actually the same. We all think that the best ending of the movie is the current ending. Guo Gangtang can find his son as he wants, and he doesn't have to run on the road anymore. He has been running for 24 years.
Beijing News: After Guo Gangtang found his son, did he tell you about the current family life?
Peng Sanyuan: After this incident, I haven't seen him yet.
I just sent him a message, and he replied: "Sister, I can finally live steadily."
Beijing News: How do you feel when you read it?
Peng Sanyuan: I particularly understand how he feels now.
Since Guo Xinzhen was abducted and sold, he has not had a normal day.
Now that Guo Xinzhen has found him, he can finally return to normal life.
Of course I believe he will help other children find homes, but he no longer has to carry such a heavy burden in his heart.
Many people searched for children with Guo Gangtang, and one child after another found it, but Guo Gangtang tried again and again, and every time the DNA turned out not.
Can you imagine a person going from disappointment to despair?
I don't think he will have to go through this kind of psychological torture in the future.
It’s not enough to make people cry, but to make people think
Beijing News: Why did you want to prepare to shoot such a movie?
Peng Sanyuan: I saw a newspaper. The newspaper told the story of Guo Gangtang.
At that time, he searched for his son for 13 years. At that time, he should have walked about 300,000 kilometers and had already scrapped several motorcycles.
My professional intuition tells me that this matter is a very good road film subject, and it is also burdened with more important social topics, so I pay more attention to this group.
After almost two to three years of tracking, we started to write.
The materials I interviewed made people feel that every story was miserable, but I also felt that the creation should be rational, and it is not enough to make people cry. It should make people think.
We polished out the script in more than two years, and it took a long time to settle down. It took more than 80 days to shoot and it was released in March 2015.
Beijing News: What are the considerations for choosing Guo Gangtang as the prototype of the movie?
Peng Sanyuan: After I learned his story, I was moved by his persistence as a father.
Here is both the part of the paternal love of human nature and the part of his character. In addition, he is riding to find a child. I think he can exist in the movie as a character, so I decided to shoot him.
When I was interviewing him, there was something in Guo Gangtang that shocked my heart.
One is a notebook. The notebook remembers where and who helped him, such as helping him with a meal or giving him 200 yuan.
He also showed me a map, which was already yellowed and glued with tape, and the road he had walked was painted on it.
I think this can also shock the audience's hearts.
Beijing News: Can you tell me how you felt when you first met Guo Gangtang?
Peng Sanyuan: I first met him in 2011, in his old home in Liaocheng.
At that time, as the New Year was approaching, Guo Gangtang had just returned from the field.
His house is very deserted, there is no holiday, it is quiet.
There are no curtains, so how come I say there are no curtains?
It feels not that the house is not good, but that the child is lost, the spirit of living is gone, and the whole family has not come out.
The Beijing News: Do many plots in the movie also refer to the experiences of Guo Gangtang and other parents seeking children?
Peng Sanyuan: When we styled Andy Lau, the motorcycles he used, the slogan on the car, the bags he carried, and the clothes he wore were all inspired and influenced by many parents.
The elements of Zeng Shuai played by Jing Boran come from many kidnapped children.
I think one side is the father, and the other is the children. They are two endorsements.
Hope that good stories will happen to more families looking for children
The Beijing News: Many netizens left messages, hoping to shoot a sequel to "Lost Orphans".
How do you respond to this expectation?
Peng Sanyuan: If there are investors who are willing to invest and there is a suitable screening environment, I am willing to tell a story with a successful ending.
Whether it is a sequel to "Lonely Lost" or another story about finding a child, I hope it has a perfect ending.
The Beijing News: If the filming of "Lost Orphans 2", is it possible for the people who helped Guo Gangtang to find his son as a prototype and create a character for them?
Peng Sanyuan: It is possible.
When shooting "Lonely", we also recorded the help of many strangers to the character prototype.
He can persevere and not collapse. I think a big reason is that he can meet the help of kind people on the road and reach out to help. This kind of warmth has a power to allow him to continue walking.
I believe that Guo Gangtang has experienced a lot of help like this, including volunteers for "Baby Go Home".
I remember when the film was shot, "Baby Go Home" had 100,000 volunteers.
They usually have to go to work. Once they get off work, they sit in front of the computer and sort out the information about missing children and relatives in an orderly manner, and sort them into different areas, forming a particularly effective mechanism.
There are so many volunteers, not for fame or profit, it is really for this moment of family reunion.
Willing to see ordinary people become legends
Beijing News: What do you think is the greatest significance of "Lost Orphan"?
Peng Sanyuan: Our society as a whole is a large aggregate, interlocking with each other, and we have made a little effort in it.
"If you don't accumulate steps, you can't reach a thousand miles."
Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the entire society is getting better and better because of this virtuous circle.
A normal life is a luxury for many people.
This world is not a peaceful world, we just live in a peaceful country, but there are some tragedies that cannot be avoided.
We hope that these tragedies will be reduced and not repeated, and we hope that the human heart can be cured.
In this case, our work is meaningful.
I hope the society can also reflect on the reasons for this tragedy. Now that the legislation is improving, the public security departments are also fighting against human trafficking. I especially hope that the stories of Guo Gangtang and Guo Xinzhen will happen to more families looking for children.
Beijing News reporter Xu Yang Gaozhao Yang Donghao Wu Qi Wang Kunpeng Intern Wu Mengzhen