East-West Questions chinadialogue丨Female-themed films, what is the difference between East and West?

　　From the stunning debut of the first film "The Wilderness" in Venice 41 years ago, to the fact that Chinese films have become "regulars" at major film festivals, from the standout of kung fu films to the frequent appearance of various types of films, Chinese films have become a window for foreign audiences to understand China.

How can Chinese films better reflect the present and let the world understand China through films?

China News Agency's "East-West Question: China Dialogue" invited Li Shaohong, president of the China Film Directors Association and famous director, to have a dialogue with Marco Muller, the art director of the Art Research Center of Shanghai University and a famous film producer.

Video: [East East and West China Dialogue] How can Chinese films bring the East and the West closer?

　　Li Shaohong, who has directed many female-themed works such as "Red Pink", "Forty Do Not Confused", "Oranges Are Red" and "Daming Palace Ci", believes that the exchange of realistic films including female themes should be encouraged.

　　Marco Muller, who has served as the chairman of several international film festivals and promoted Chinese directors such as Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Tian Zhuangzhuang and Jia Zhangke to the international stage, believes that the richness and variety of Chinese films can help foreign audiences to know more about the richness of Chinese culture. .

An excerpt from the conversation follows:

The movie "Going Out" helps the world understand China

China News Service reporter: In 1981, when Mr. Marco Muller served as the Asian film consultant of the Venice International Film Festival, he brought the Chinese film "The Wilderness" to Venice. It happened that "The Wilderness" was also produced by the China News Service.

What was the opportunity for you to bring the film "The Wilderness" from China to Europe?

Marco Muller:

At the beginning of 1981, several domestic friends told me that a new company, Nanhai Pictures, was making a movie "The Wilderness".

I like Cao Yu's drama very much, and I also watched "The Wilderness". I found out that this is the debut work of a female director, so I asked if I could meet Ling Zi, the director of the film.

Lingzi later introduced more female directors to me. At that time, I felt that China finally had a very strong and lively group of new female directors.

Poster of the movie "The Wilderness", source: Internet

China News Service reporter: What is the special significance of Chinese films going to the world?

Li Shaohong:

This process has opened our eyes and worldview, and at the same time allowed the world to understand China.

In 1992, "Forty Not Confused" was the first modern film of our generation to go to the European Film Festival. An important reason for winning the award is that the life of the Chinese people at that time was very unfamiliar to the West, especially real life.

I can feel from the reporter's question that they want to understand China and the state of the Chinese people through the film, so I think it is very important that the realistic film can go out.

Marco Müller:

At that time these films were the first or second films of a new generation of directors.

They are really rich and varied, and the directions they explore are not consistent.

At that time, I especially wanted to let foreign audiences, especially European audiences know more about the richness of Chinese culture through these films.

China News Agency reporter:

How do you view the relationship between international awards and domestic awards?

　　Marco Muller: The 1990s should be a popular era for Chinese films. Almost every major film festival will have a Chinese main competition film, and foreign distribution will also consider buying a few more Chinese films.

Why were there popular Chinese movies abroad in the 1990s?

Because at that time, many films were art films with commercial value, or commercial films with high artistic quality.

I really admire the contributions of those directors, so that more people can immediately understand and understand.

Li Shaohong:

Whether winning awards internationally or domestically, they affirm and encourage our artistic creations.

The international award is to appreciate this kind of artistic value from the perspective of China's development story and oriental culture, which is a very high affirmation.

Domestic encouragement is more direct, because our creations reflect the real life and historical culture of China, which is definitely more important.

Women's creation enriches the world

China News Service reporter: How do you view the contribution of female directors and female-themed creations to the entire film industry?

Li Shaohong:

I think the female perspective and female creation enrich the world to some extent.

As female directors, we are consciously doing this kind of observation and expression.

In 1995, "Pink Pink" caused a great response at the Berlin Film Festival. After that, I consciously adopted a female perspective in the creation of the film, whether it was a historical or realistic theme, which also formed my own creative characteristics.

Marco Muller:

Every few years, there will be one or two female-themed films in Chinese films, truly speaking for Chinese women.

For example, the representative female directors of the fourth and fifth generations from Ling Zi to Huang Shuqin and Li Shaohong, as well as the works of the latest generation of director Li Yu, have allowed foreign audiences to deeply understand the world outlook of Chinese women, as well as their observations and views on society. Explore.

China News Agency reporter: What are the similarities and differences between European and American films and Chinese films in female-themed films?

　　Marco Muller: I don't think there is much difference between the two, but Chinese women's films are not only made by female directors, but also by male directors.

For example, Zhang Yimou's work "The Case of Qiu Ju" created a female character who fought for her own rights. This film won the Golden Lion Award at the 49th Venice International Film Festival.

"Spring in a Small Town" directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang, who won the San Marco Award at the 59th Venice International Film Festival, is also a Chinese female-themed film by a male director.

Hong Kong director To Qifeng, everyone thinks he is good at directing action films and detective films, but every three or four films he makes, he will also consider making a female-themed film.

China News Service reporter: What is the difference between today's female audience and 30 years ago?

How do you view the awakening of female consciousness?

Marco Muller:

With the diversification of the Chinese film market (works), Chinese female audiences can now see a variety of films.

In the past, women directors, especially in the West and Japan, made films for women in their thirties and forties.

Now directors, both male and female, have a younger target audience for their films, and audiences can see many different films.

One of the achievements of Chinese film in recent years is that female directors have also begun to make genre films.

Li Shaohong:

From personal experience, the formation of my female consciousness has gone through a process from unconsciousness to consciousness.

We used to have a slogan "Women hold up half the sky", which means that women also have equal opportunities and rights to work, and it also reduces the awareness of gender differences.

After the reform and opening up, women pay more attention to and think about their own existence value and strive for independence in society.

Now when I communicate with many young female directors, I find that they are very confident in knowing where their strengths lie, and what they should insist on from a female perspective in the subject matter they want to create.

China News Service reporter: How does the film "The World Has Her" express the living conditions of women today?

Li Shaohong:

The three directors of this film are all women. We start from the perspective of women, observe life from the perspective of women, and observe how women face emotional and family problems in difficult times.

In addition, in terms of performance in different regions, director Zhang Aijia is in Hong Kong, China, reflecting a different situation from the mainland, while director Chen Chong reflects the emotions of a couple separated in two places.

The diversity of the film shows the responsibilities of the most ordinary women in the family.

Marco Müller:

"There's Her" in particular shows many of the conflicts that arise in families during difficult times.

The three female directors know exactly how to present these issues and the protagonist's approach to solving them.

Many Chinese films, including "The World Has Her", have the ability to break through language and cultural barriers, and can attract foreign audiences to the works of Chinese female directors and Chinese female-themed films.

There is a long way to go to promote Sino-foreign dialogue through films

China News Service: What other efforts do filmmakers need to make in promoting Sino-foreign dialogue with film as a medium?

Marco Muller:

I think we need to consider the cultural differences that Chinese films may encounter abroad.

In this regard, we can help foreign audiences understand Chinese films through the translation and interpretation of Chinese culture, and then arouse their empathy.

Li Shaohong:

There are indeed differences between Eastern and Western cultures, and more publicity and promotion are needed to narrow the distance between each other.

From the perspective of creation, we can pay more attention to the exchange of realistic films including female themes.

The expression of gender is the language of the world, and there are no obstacles. Every family, every individual, whether men or women, can feel the same way. There should be more works like this.

We will be very interested when we see films on this subject at film festivals or film exhibitions. Although it tells about how people in other countries deal with problems, it is actually no different from ours.