[Explanation] The film "Sniper" directed by Zhang Yimou and Zhang Mo, starring Chen Yongsheng, Zhang Yu, Zhang Yi, etc., will be released nationwide on the first day of the new year on February 1. This is also Zhang Yimou's first entry into the Spring Festival.

Recently, in an interview with the media, he talked about the behind-the-scenes stories of the film and his thoughts on the Chinese film market.

  [Commentary] "Sniper" is based on the little-known but significant "cold gun and cold gun movement" in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. It tells the story of the five sniper fighters in the situation of the disparity in the armament of the enemy and ours, and the American sniper elite have a desperate confrontation s story.

  [Concurrent] Zhang Yimou, director of "Sniper"

  Because many details in the sniper battle need to be deduced on the simulated battlefield, not the screenwriter can write it in the room.

We also have military advisers.

Anyway, before we made this movie, we watched all the sniper movies that could be transferred, so the most important thing in the sniper battle I concluded was hiding.

You need to deduce something, this is basic.

Including the range of the gun, the number of bullets, and many other things, we learned while filming. Military experts gave us a lot of knowledge and talked about the difficult situation in the year of resisting U.S. aggression and aiding Korea, so many details are also from what they said. We experienced it on the spot.

Different from my past films, the tone of black and white and gray is very cold, focusing on characters, not (too) paying attention to aesthetic beauty, but focusing on realism, which is also what this type of subject needs.

  [Commentary] "Sniper" is the first domestic film focusing on snipers to resist US aggression and aid Korea, and it is also the first work jointly directed by Zhang Yimou and Zhang Mo and his daughter.

Zhang Yimou said frankly that the "discussions" between the two often sparked different sparks.

  [Concurrent] Zhang Yimou, director of "Sniper"

  So starting from the selection of actors, she is responsible for the US military part.

So we set up two battlefields to start shooting at the same time, and almost stopped at the same time. Every night we discussed together, and both sides watched all the material.

So I will adjust my side according to her strategy, and she will also adjust her side according to the movement of my side, so the two sides are a bit like "sniper battle", and the same is true for shooting.

So this movie is actually two directors who have to keep discussing and deducing the war on the sand table, so it was created like this.

  [Commentary] "Sniper" did not choose a grand narrative, but deliberately started with individual stories of small cuts, which is also Zhang Yimou's unique understanding of war movies.

  [Concurrent] Zhang Yimou, director of "Sniper"

  I now understand that when I look back at the war to defend the homeland and the country, I see that the most important meaning of it is the spirit of the Chinese people, because it is in extremely simple conditions to fight against the armed to the teeth, known as the world's first. army.

A great war, a grand war, is actually composed of countless such individuals.

  [Explanation] In Zhang Yimou's many works, elements of traditional Chinese culture have always been indispensable.

He believes that it is very important to stick to China's cultural characteristics in a diverse world.

  [Concurrent] Zhang Yimou, director of "Sniper"

  Adhere to our cultural characteristics, but also adhere to our cultural self-confidence.

This is our root, it must be.

I believe that for young directors, young creators, generation after generation, they will (will) choose such a path.

  [Commentary] Zhang Yimou believes that in recent years, the Chinese film market is undergoing a lot of changes, artistry and commerciality are no longer opposed, and many theme films have performed well.

As a filmmaker, Zhang Yimou is inspired.

  [Concurrent] Zhang Yimou, director of "Sniper"

  I said the movie market is a lot like a polling ground.

"Changjin Lake" won the highest box office in Chinese film history, indicating that young people like it very much.

Why do young people like to reflect on a war 70 years ago?

Why do you like such a war movie?

In fact, it is our national feelings.

Not 10 years ago, not 20 years ago, not our rush to Hollywood blockbusters, not that era.

Of course, our films need to be improved, and our quality needs to be improved.

But now this phenomenon is very gratifying. It gives us creators a lot of encouragement, and it also urges us to be worthy of the audience, to make movies well, and to diversify.

So you have to have a craftsmanship, you have to improve your skills, you have to improve your skills, and you have to improve your storytelling ability from generation to generation.

  Reporter Cheng Yu reports from Beijing

Responsible editor: [Ji Xiang]