Director Of Theme Film Of China Pavilion: Bring Out A Chinese Story For The World

Lu Chuan, a famous contemporary Chinese director, is also the director of the theme film of the China Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo. A cinema is designed in the National Pavilion. In the three storey red building, there is a cinema on the whole 49m floor. The theme film will be played circularly, and the film will become part of the exhibits in the China Pavilion.

This theme film took a lot of trouble from script review to shooting. The theme film of the Expo China Pavilion will create at least two firsts: the first time to show the expression of post 70s directors in national level images, and the first time to show people's resilience and the power to ride through disasters. Lu Chuan recently received an exclusive interview with our newspaper. He said that what he can assure future audiences is that there is truth in it.

I can say it's a martial arts contest
　
Nandu: How was your process of taking this film?

Lu Chuan: We have been involved in the creation of the National Pavilion of the World Expo since August 2008. At that time, the Theme Demonstration Department invited a lot of people. As the judge of the Image Department, I reviewed these plans together with experts in various fields such as cities and architecture. Later, the leader of the Expo Bureau came to me and asked me if I had any wish to make a film for the National Pavilion.

I was in two moods at that time. At that time, I was very tired when shooting Nanjing! Nanjing. When I was reviewing, I saw that some teams were pitiful and were approved back again and again. At that time, I thought that the fate was the same when I changed from a referee to a player. Later experience proved my prediction.
　
In addition, I think that cooperation with the country will certainly not become a personal creation, but will certainly polish off some personalized things.

Nan Du: Have you ever had the experience of shooting theme films before?

Lu Chuan: Yes, I have. In 2007, I made a promotional film for the Special Olympics, but that was relatively simple. This time, there are many national interests, expressions and achievements. I really hesitated at that time. We all know what happened to other directors, and we are very worried about whether we can carry it.

But there is another factor that makes us want to make this film. Because of the national level image expression, we have never found our generation (note: the sixth generation directors generally refer to a group of young directors who entered the Department of Director of Beijing Film Academy in the middle and late 1980s and began to direct films after the 1990s). When we look at these works, we feel that they do not particularly represent our aspirations or our views on the country, nation, people and history. So this time I especially hope to do something new.

Nan Du: It's also an opportunity.

Lu Chuan: Another great difficulty and another opportunity. This opportunity is not only for myself, but also for the world. It is different and closely related to human nature. It is not only about a great achievement, but also about the changes of Chinese people and people.

Nan Du: So you decided to accept this challenge?

Lu Chuan: I still have to take part in the seven screening and eight selection. I was the last one to compete for marriage. I know that there are seven or eight teams participating in the competition together.

Wenchuan earthquake shows through disasters

Nan Du: Actually, it is very difficult. In a short time, we should express a grand theme and also express your concern for people. How do you find this balance?

Lu Chuan: At the beginning, I didn't want to be photographed like before. They were all big smiling faces and all kinds of smiles. The shooting method was almost uniform. You know, in almost every (TV) station, it is a kind of shooting method. Later, we said that this time, we must shoot specific people, not only high spirited, but also their anxiety, as well as things that go through disasters. So this time we actually have a family of four generations in the design of the plot. From father, son, grandson, great grandson, their 30-year experience, we focus on them. Their family's journey is the journey of the Chinese people.

Nan Du: Is it through the change of a family to tell the change of the times?

Lu Chuan: But it's not a documentary style. If you say so, you may think that this is not a small film and it is very gentle. Actually not, we just made it very grand. When we came here, tens of thousands of people were running. Father and son said goodbye, and children were running in the wilderness. It is actually a poetic expression that people of different nationalities gather together. Finally, they meet again in the city. I think it is very touching.

It has a lot of allegorical things. We left the countryside and left our parents on the land. We went to the city. It is a kind of difference. Behind us, there are the eyes and expectations of our parents. We move forward, and finally today, we will meet again. This is a return. We have shown that four generations live together, which is the highest ideal of family that Chinese people attach most importance to.

Our efforts will satisfy everyone. At least this time it must be different from before. Of course, not everyone can accept it.

Nandu: Are you satisfied with yourself?

Lu Chuan: I think it's OK. It is certainly not a 100% personality creation. But we did try our best to express our individuality in the existing space. Our concern for the Chinese people in the past 30 years is not only material growth, but also spiritual growth. We even showed disaster in it. This is very difficult. It was never possible before. In the national level video display, you shoot disasters. But this time we used a very special technique to shoot the Wenchuan earthquake. We want to film the young generation. The post-80s generation is actually a generation that grew up after the Wenchuan earthquake. In fact, we also have the ability to shoulder the prosperity of a nation and go through disasters. Rebuild the city and the country. So we did PK to keep this section. This is our biggest difference from previous films. We should photograph the hardships of the Chinese people. China has not been smooth for 30 years. A harmonious society has come through this way. In fact, China has gone through too many hardships in the past 30 years. China is also a country prone to disasters. We have taken this picture.

Nan Du: Is that what you want to express?

Lu Chuan: I think this is just a compliment to our nation. We can survive disasters and still stand here. I would think that a nation that cannot face disasters is not a strong nation.

This is what we are riveted to. Some things we really gave up. We may give up those that are too personalized and unique. But today we think we are right. Let the world see our resilience.

The process of filming is to search together
　　
Nan Du: Will this expression be a little different from the theme of the Expo, "Better City, Better Life"?

Lu Chuan: But you know, Wenchuan is the destruction of a city. But it is also the regeneration of a city. It concentrates on the spirit of regeneration. In fact, as the largest urbanization movement in history, China's urbanization movement has a concentrated and special performance in Wenchuan. It also proves that the Chinese people will not be defeated by any difficulties.

Therefore, cities make life better. Our topic is the journey of beauty. English translation:, the roadto our beautiful life。 Recalling the road leading to a better life, there must be many frustrations. Such frustrations can also reflect the beauty of our modern life. (Note: It was renamed "Journey" at the end of shooting)

Nan Du: In the shooting process of the theme, will the expression method you use conflict with the sponsor's concept. For example, would they prefer to highlight scientific development and urban progress. Is there such a situation?

Lu Chuan: There must be. It is the so-called performance. But I think the leaders of the Expo Bureau are very tolerant of me. I once said that if you invite a donkey, you can't let him sing like a parrot. It's true. The voice I can make is like this, but it's also the voice responsible for the country and the nation. You must ask me to learn how to parrot, which is not something I can do.

In my whole life, I didn't want this film of the Expo to become another thing. It should have my consistent pursuit in it. There may be compromise, but the core values cannot change. What I particularly value, respect and display of human nature, must not be abandoned. I went to take pictures of cities and city changes. I used tap water but bottled water later. Yes, but it is not the core of 30 years. I think 30 years is actually a kind of inheritance.

Nandu: Don't you want to be trivial?

Lu Chuan: Eight minutes, you can't cover everything. We can't show it all. But as a director, I have something that I value most.

Nandu: Well communicated at the beginning of shooting. Can you shoot according to your idea?

Lu Chuan: No, it should be a common search. Not only the leaders of the Expo Bureau, but also the leaders of Shanghai, as well as higher level leaders. For example, in our experience, the machine was started on September 1 last year. At that time, the contract was signed and all the preparations were completed. Suddenly, a phone call was made and the suspension was suspended. Three or four days later, it was said that the previous draft plan was completely overturned. Must be redone. This is quite extreme, but something like this has happened.

This is what I was worried about at that time. In the middle of national projects, there were some changes in government directives. In fact, it was unexpected.

But I think at least the leaders of the Shanghai World Expo Bureau, including the leaders of Shanghai, are quite open-minded and can listen to our opinions. Sometimes although some things have different opinions. Their responsibilities may be greater than ours. We also try to make them acceptable. But we also hope that the expression of core values will not be lost. This is a very difficult and tangled process.

There are at least two or three places that I find very attractive

Nan Du: I heard that the filming was going to end before the new year.

Lu Chuan: It has to go through many reviews, and the review of scripts has to go to a very high level. We can't start the machine for a long time. The final draft was launched in January. This is very frustrating. So we didn't finish it until New Year's Eve. After the Spring Festival, the staff have been rushing to work. Now the first draft has been cut out. I don't think it's useless. There are some interesting things. I don't feel ashamed. The only criterion for my films is not to be humiliated. After I read it, I felt not humiliated, but rather moving. We went to review the film and watched it with hundreds of staff from the Shanghai World Expo Bureau. They also felt moving. So I feel quite confident.

Nandu: We observed that your previous films had a strong documentary style. Will this film continue?

Lu Chuan: It may be different. The style is influenced by the sense of power, speed and impact, which will be maintained. But it is still poetic and sunny.

Nandu: Is there anything you wish to express but missed?

Lu Chuan: I think this is an emotional expression. After thinking for more than a year, I repeatedly revised the script and submitted the report. I went to Shanghai twice a week to revise, hold meetings and listen to experts' opinions. This situation persisted for more than half a year. The actual time for making the film is less than half a year. Anyway, I try my best every time I make a film. I really regret that I can't help it.

Nandu: The process is very complicated.

Lu Chuan: It's very annoying. There were several times when I felt that I could not continue. Later, I wanted to be shot, but it was decided. At that time, there were many other teams competing.

But I still have the ability to do so. We let the leaders of the Expo Bureau see our ability and our sincerity.

Nan Du: It sounds that you still have great hopes for this film?

Lu Chuan: There is truth in it. Really, today. I can assure future audiences that there is truth in it. This is difficult to do. But we did.

Nan Du: This kind of true feelings also moved you?

Lu Chuan: Yes, at least two or three. I feel very moving. Eight minutes, two or three places (laughing), OK. Indeed, our film is a collective decision.

Nandu: Do you think you give up much?

Lu Chuan: One hundred and twenty scripts have different things, so I can't remember what I gave up, and some of them were stolen back. I think we try our best to do something that is worthy of our conscience, rather than something that is fake and empty. In this matter, I think that no matter what the future evaluation is, we have done our best. We have pushed the door open to the limit.