"Old Girlfriend" director Qiao Liang: People can be old, but their dreams are still young
Directed by Qiao Liang, written by Lu Dong and Wang Ying, and starring Wang Fuli, Pan Hong, Song Xiaoying, Xu Di, and Wu Mian, the TV series "Old Girlfriends" is being broadcast on eight prime CCTV sets. "Drama", left a deep impression on the audience with his cheerful and playful style, unrestrained temperament and slanted attitude.
The play focuses on the problem of an aging society. It tells the story of five old ladies with different personalities who live in a certain neighborhood. They met and became best friends because of an anti-counterfeiting activity. After going through the joys and sorrows in life, they finally started a journey of finding new value in life. .
Speaking of "Old Girlfriends", director Qiao Liang said that this is a return to China's traditional culture of respecting the elderly and honoring the virtuous. In addition to the saturated young theme market, it focuses on showing the "anti-fashion" work of young and old life.
With more than 20 years of experience in the industry, as a director, Qiao Liang pays attention to and thinks about changes in China in his favorite realistic works.
As a professor of the director department of Beijing Film Academy, he "learns from each other" in his teaching, inherits the tradition of Nortel, cultivates new talents, and uses his works to bloom the glory of Chinese filmmakers to the world.
From a literary youth graduating from the Department of Chinese to an "academic director" whose works have frequently won awards at home and abroad, in his view, life is like filming a movie.
As he said: "Every age group has beauty in every age group. People can be old, but their dreams are still young."
Regarding his original intention of filming "Old Girlfriends", Qiao Liang said: With the rapid development of the times, people are particularly afraid of aging, and they are very anxious after 30 years, sighing that "I can't do it, I'm getting old".
In addition, the current society advocates youth and youth, including business and commodities, which are basically aimed at young people, especially the film and television industry, which all shoot themes that young people like, and the requirements are becoming more and more fashionable.
The queen mothers in some costume films are even played by people in their thirties.
These may create a climate of anxiety for the audience, and for society as a whole.
China has now become an aging society, and more and more elderly people are facing many social problems, so I especially want to shoot something like this.
Qiao Liang said that in this play, the five old ladies represent different problems in the elderly society: Aunt Mei represents the kind of old man who has lost his only child, and Irene played by Teacher Pan Hong is the kind of person who has a strong appearance, but has to face the heart. Aging and terminally ill, such a woman who is no longer beautiful.
The teacher Song played by Song Xiaoying is an "old girl" who always refuses to grow up.
The retired doctor played by Teacher Xu Di is energetic and pays attention to details, which brings a lot of trouble to her son's life. In the end, she also understands "letting go" and understands another kind of beauty in life.
Sister Hong, played by Wu Mian, is a typical representative of our mothers. She takes care of her husband, her son, her daughter, and her grandson. She takes care of everything at home. In the end, she doesn't understand anything.
They all have their own representatives of social problems, which are also mapped to medical problems, demolition problems, children's education problems, etc. The most important thing is the problem of "group for the elderly".
What is "Group Aged Care"?
It refers to like-minded old people, not relying on children, looking for a suitable place, and comforting each other's spiritual emptiness.
This is a more advanced pension model than the elderly activity center.
In addition, it is no exaggeration to say that the cast of "Old Girlfriends" has gathered the "five queens".
Wang Fuli is the winner of the Golden Rooster Award, the Hundred Flowers Award, and the Golden Eagle Award; Pan Hong is the Hundred Flowers Award, the Golden Rooster Award, and the Golden Deer Award; Song Xiaoying is the two-time Golden Rooster Award winner; Xu Di is the Magnolia Award, Winner of Drama Plum Blossom Award; Wu Mian is the winner of Feitian Award, Golden Eagle Award and Golden Lion Award.
Although to young people, the faces of these five old ladies are a little unfamiliar.
But in the history of Chinese film and television, they are an existence that cannot be ignored.
During the entire shooting process, what impressed Qiao Liang most was the artistry of the five leading actors.
"Like Mr. Wang Fuli's bad waist, I didn't know about it at first, but she kept insisting on the set. In order to play the role of Aunt Mei well, she also went to the cafe to experience life and learn to make coffee. Ms. Pan Hong, she has a lot of lines. She didn't sleep well either, so she put the script on the bedside, read it when she woke up, went to sleep after reading it, and read it when she woke up. For a person in her late 70s, except when she was filming and sleeping, she almost always I'm reciting the script." Qiao Liang said, "Everyone has made a huge contribution to this play. Like Teacher Xu Di, she designed some movements for herself to climb and climb over walls. I was worried about safety, so she went on it herself. Including Teacher Song Xiaoying's role this time is also a huge challenge for her. She has never played such a role as a revolutionary. This role is also an old man who has never been seen in previous TV dramas - an old girl. Including teacher Wu Mian, she is very demanding of herself, she will meticulously scrutinize every line, and grind every scene over and over again until she is satisfied. Such a group of people and some things touched me very much, and I can vividly remember them."
"Old age is coming, although it is unavoidable, but a young mentality, an optimistic pursuit of life, and a warm waiting for each other can still become the mainstream of old age life." Qiao Liang hopes that when the elderly see the play, they will receive Strong resonance; young people can bridge the age gap with their parents when they see the play.
"I just feel like enjoying life and enjoying the present moment. Every moment in life is wonderful. Don't miss the beauty of today just because you sigh your youth is fleeting. When you watch it with a normal heart, it will actually be very beautiful. Just like when we watch TV series, when you jump away and watch the sadness and joy in the play, you will get a kind of enjoyment from it. Life is like this, we are both actors and actors. Audience, as long as you face it with an audience mentality, your life will be wonderful." Qiao Liang said.
With its down-to-earth stories, representative characters, and youthful light comedy style, it is eye-catching and is praised by the audience as the elderly version of "Ode to Joy". Some young audiences even praised the play's impact on life. Attitude, excitedly said: "When we are old, we have to live as wonderfully as old girlfriends." (Author Shang Hui)