As a leading figure in China\'s "sixth-generation directors," Wang Xiaoshuai is named as a jury member of the Golden Goblet Award of the 13th Shanghai International Film Festival. His latest film production, Chongqing Blues, is also on the film festival\'s screening program. In an interview with Daily News, Wang discussed the dilemma for filmmakers caught in between the arty and commercial world.
Daily News: As the judge for 赌博app and one of China\'s leading film directors, do you have special criterions in judging the films?
Wang: The jury members invited by this year\'s film festival are a group of interesting people with different background, such as French director Leos Carax. This makes the judging process very interesting. We have watched some films and discussed a bit among ourselves with Chairman John Woo playing as an organizer. Most of the time we judge by ourselves. Fairly speaking, only after watching all the candidate films can we reach a true and objective judgement.
Daily News: Do you agree John Woo\'s view that China\'s film industry has welcomed a "Golden Age"?
Wang: As a film director, it is time for us to make greater success. The establishment of cinema lines, the return of cinema audience, and the efforts made by Chinese directors like Feng Xiaogang, Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige all contributed to this booming scene.
Daily News: How should we evaluate the "Golden Age," by box-office income or production quality?
Wang: Box-office income and the audience number. But the quality of film does not necessiarly grow together with number of audience and box-office. It\'s more about how commercialized this industry is.
Daily News: Are you still struggling between the pursuit for the film art and the pursuit for commercial returns?
Wang: No, I always do things in my own way. With the improving of China\'s film market, there will be a day that serious movies can have their own room for survival and development.
Daily News: You once said art film and commercial film are not necessarily the opposite to each other. But when the two forces pulling you to different directions, how do you choose?
Wang: In a mature market, every director deals with his or her own pursuits. For me, I follow my inner heart, directing films according to my understanding.
Daily News: You once said "making conscientious films" in previous interviews. What is "conscientious film"?
Wang: I think there is a trend. Directors of art and commercial films are all tended to look outside, They look for the trend and then follow the trend. I believe a good director should look inside, look at one\'s inner heart and follow the calling of the inner heart. Or to say, believe in yourself and your own taste.
Daily News: Does Chongqing Blues a work through which you surpassed your previous creations?
Wang: That judgment should leave to my audience. I only have my creation attitude under my control. I try my best to do things. My experience of being the judge for Shanghai International Film Festival tells me that the seven judges with various backgrounds have very different views to films. So someone may like the movie, someone may not like it. That\'s very normal.
Daily News: Would you introduce the current situation for Chongqing Blues, what\'s your expectation for box-office income?
Wang: Chongqing Blues went to Canes last year. The following steps will be taken by the distribution company. They have a very difficult job to do. I do not dare to expect for a box-office income in the same rankings as Feng Xiaogang’s flicks. Feng said they are expecting box-office income of 500 to 600 million for a movie. For me, 10 to 20 percent of that kind of income will make me happy.
Daily News: In last year\'s film festival forum, some of the industry delegates suggested that there are only 200 out of 400 films have the chance to be screened in China. So many low-budget films have to participate all kinds of films as a way of survey. What do you?
Wang: This is the question. China now has 4,000 to 5,000 screens. But when a Hollywood blockbuster hit the market, all 5,000 screens turn into one screen. Many films, including mine, do not have the chance to be screened at all. This means these films did not get the chance to be tested by the market at all.
Daily News: Do you think the internationalization of Chinese movies need the platform of big film festivals?
Wang: Feng Xiaogang talked about Hollywood two days ago. He does well in sales and succeeds in commercial movies. In the past ten years, we admired Hollywood very much, but we should not only aim for Hollywood, we also need to take Chinese audiences into consideration. In addition, entering Hollywood isn’t the only way out Chinese movies because some Chinese independent movies still have market in Europe and America.
Daily News: Do you still need to persuade investors to invest on your movies?
Wang: No. Through Shanghai International Film Festival and Chongqing Blues shown in Cannes, more and more people know that the market needs all kinds of movies.
Daily News: What does Shanghai International Film Festival need to do if it wants to be a more international one?
Wang: I wish Shanghai International Film Festival could do more in promoting good movies shown in the festival. In today\'s China, only big-budget movies win the domestic market. I hope these movies can be accepted by the market as well. In return, the film festival will be more credible for its recommendation of good movies. With the huge market, this festival will attract more movies from abroad and this is a win-win strategy.