[Concurrent] He Zongyao, director of the Fouxi Film Museum in Dangyang City, Hubei Province
This (film projection) equipment is called "Old May Fourth", and it is the first generation of 16mm projector in China. This equipment is the treasure of our (Film Museum) museum.
[Explanation] The old man in front of him is named He Zongyao. For nearly 50 years, he has guarded his movie dream by collecting old movie objects, and also recorded the times with light and shadow.
Recently, the reporter came to Fouxi Town, Dangyang City, Hubei Province to visit the story of He Zongyao's founding of the Rural Film Museum.
[Explanation] He Zongyao was born in 1950. He has been particularly interested in movies since he was a child. He became a local film projectionist at the age of 23. He also began to preserve and collect "Movie Pictorial", "Popular Movies", films, projectors and other old things related to movies.
[Explanation] In the 1990s, with the popularization of television sets, fewer people watched old movies, and many township projectionists changed their careers one after another, but He Zongyao has been sticking to it.
During this period, He Zongyao exhibited the old movie objects collected in a small area, but he did not expect to receive particularly good results.
[Concurrent] He Zongyao, director of the Fouxi Film Museum in Dangyang City, Hubei Province
The audience is still very nostalgic for traditional old movies. As an old filmmaker, I also have a feeling for old movies, so I have the awareness of collecting and preserving old movies (objects), the greatest use of (preserving them) It can prove the development process of Chinese films.
[Explanation] In order to collect more old movie objects, he looked around for old film and old projectors.
Once, he learned that someone in Yunnan had collected relatively rare projectors, so he took the 30,000 yuan savings he had saved from living frugally for many years, took the train to Kunming, and bought the equipment back.
[Concurrent] He Zongyao, director of the Fouxi Film Museum in Dangyang City, Hubei Province
Some models of (movie projectors) that are relatively scarce and unavailable, I browse the Internet through the Internet platform, and I have also traveled to many places, including Yunnan and Henan. As long as there are movie projectors suitable for collection, I will try my best to get them It drags back.
[Explanation] With more and more collections, He Zongyao became famous in the local area, and some people came to visit.
In order to support He Zongyao, the Cultural Service Center of Fuxi Town, Dangyang City provided him with a place to display these old objects.
With more and more people visiting, the dream of building a film museum began to brew in He Zongyao's heart.
[Concurrent] He Zongyao, director of the Fouxi Film Museum in Dangyang City, Hubei Province
The recognition and love of the audience inspired me to continue to collect. The unit (Foxi Town Cultural Service Center, Dangyang City) provided me with a 40-square-meter exhibition room, and persisted for another two years. The unit provided me with an 80-square-meter exhibition room Hall, persisted for another seven years, and formed today's (淯溪) Film Museum.
[Explanation] On June 30, 2021, the Fouxi Film Museum with an area of more than 400 square meters officially opened.
Old projectors, copies of old movies, and old movie posters are all placed in categories. There is also a small movie viewing experience area in the museum, where audiences can watch film movies or play old movies by themselves through the smart on-demand device.
[Explanation] He Zongyao said frankly that he not only exhausted his energy but also spent nearly 500,000 yuan in his savings in order to collect movie objects over the years.
At first, the family members didn't understand, and felt that it was not worthwhile for him to spend his savings on these items, but later, they were slowly moved by He Zongyao's "stubbornness".
[Concurrent] He Zongyao, director of the Fouxi Film Museum in Dangyang City, Hubei Province
The recognition of the society (to the movie theater) and the recognition of the audience let them see that my matter is meaningful to the society.
[Explanation] At present, the Fuxi Film Museum has collected 62 sets of film projection equipment, nearly 1,000 pieces of film projector accessories, more than 3,000 volumes of film magazines, and many VCRs, tape recorders, and jukeboxes.
The influence of the Wuxi Film Museum is also increasing day by day, and it has become a "check-in place" for many film lovers, receiving nearly 10,000 tourists every year.
[Concurrent] He Zongyao, director of the Fouxi Film Museum in Dangyang City, Hubei Province
I am still collecting (collecting) and improving. I still want to make the movie theater bigger and better in my lifetime, so that the traditional old movie culture can be preserved and passed on.
[Explanation] It is reported that, as a "famous historical and cultural town in China", in recent years, relying on film museums and art galleries, Fouxi Town has carried out cultural activities and patriotic education for young people all year round, which has enriched the spiritual and cultural life of the people and driven The development of local cultural tourism.
[Concurrent] Liu Jiao, Deputy Mayor of the Propaganda Committee of the Party Committee of Wuxi Town, Dangyang City, Hubei Province
Since 2022, we have received a total of more than 14,000 tourists from the surrounding area. In the next step, Fouxi Town will focus on building a film culture town and fully build a demonstration town for the integration of agriculture, culture and tourism along the Juzhang River Basin.
Reporting by Dong Xiaobin, Zhou Xingliang, and Chen Xin from Dangyang, Hubei
Responsible editor: [Luo Pan]