Johnnie To produces kung fu epic

[Milkyway]

Chinese director Jia to make 1st big budget film

As he prepares to make his first big-budget film, Chinese director Jia Zhangke vows to stay true to the signature documentary style he used to capture the struggles of the country's working class.

The 2006 Venice Film Festival winner told The Associated Press in an interview Saturday he's a nimble director who can easily shift between art-house and blockbuster.

The formerly underground filmmaker is best known for his stark portrayals of the country's rapid economic growth. "The World" uses a Beijing park featuring miniatures of the world's major tourist attractions as a metaphor for the illusion of prosperity, and "Still Life" is about demolition workers dismantling a Chinese village to make way for the Three Gorges Dam.

Now Jia wants to make a kung fu movie.

He is currently filming a documentary about the history of Shanghai, but his next project will be a kung fu epic set in early 20th century China called "In the Qing Dynasty." Hong Kong's Media Asia Films — which made the hit 2002 crime thriller "Infernal Affairs," the basis for Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" — is the main investor. Hong Kong director Johnnie To, known for his stylish action thrillers, is the producer.

"I don't think I'm entering a phase of commercial cinema," Jia said. "I hope I can be free — making 'In the Qing Dynasty' today and shooting an independent production the next. I've always wanted to maintain that kind of versatility and freedom."

But he acknowledged concerns that he was abandoning his roots in realist cinema, an allegation also directed at a previous generation of Chinese directors like Zhang Yimou — who directed the opening and closing ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics — and Chen Kaige.

"I know there are doubts. But I believe I will use my work to answer these doubts," Jia said. "I decided to make a commercial film because I want to change the status quo — to infuse a more humanistic message besides commercial elements."

Jia said the script for "In the Qing Dynasty" was recently completed, but he declined to reveal the plot. He said the budget is still being drafted, but he expects it to be an expensive production because it will involve a replica of a Qing dynasty city. Shooting will start next year.

The 39-year-old director was in Hong Kong to shoot scenes for his documentary about Shanghai — which also follows the migration of the Shanghainese to Hong Kong and Taiwan — and to promote a compilation of worker interviews he did for his most recent release, "24 City," which describes the changes at a state-owned aircraft factory.

Jia's films are critically acclaimed and widely distributed outside China. The 2006 film "Still Life" won the top Golden Lion prize at the Venice Film Festival. "24 City" was sold to distributors in more than 30 countries.

But Jia has never had a box office hit in his home country, which is dominated by Hollywood and Chinese blockbusters.

"Still Life" made about 2 million Chinese yuan ($300,000) and "24 City" nearly 4 million yuan ($590,000). By contrast, each of the two installments of John Woo's recent two-part historical epic "Red Cliff" made 300 million yuan ($44 million).

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/07/25/entertainment/e040520D96.DTL

Related links:

http://www.wu-jing.org/happenings/archives/662-Johnnie-To-To-Produce-Jia-Zhangkes-Wuxia-Film-In-Manchurian-Dynasty.html

http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/jia-zhangke-johnnie-to-big-budget-kung-fu/

[Asmo]

Sounds interesting.

[Fightingfist]

Nice wonder who will be casting.

[Guest Yi-Long]

I hope it will really be a KUNG FU movie, and not a big-budget 'epic' large scale army-against-army kinda movie again.

I just want a couple of guys/girls duking it out against eachother, I'm not interested in huge war-scenes of thousands of soldiers fighting thousands of other soldiers.

[DiP]

Chinese Director Defends Break from Art House

Jia Zhangke Promotes New Documentary

HONG KONG -- A Golden Lion-winning Chinese director best known for portraying working-class struggles defended on Saturday his decision to try his hand at commercial cinema as he prepares to make his first kung fu epic.

Jia Zhangke made his name with realist films that describe how China's youth and workers cope with the country's rapid economic growth. The 40-year-old filmmaker won the top prize at the 2006 Venice Film Festival with Still Life, a drama set against the destruction of a Chinese village to make way for the Three Gorges Dam.

But now Jia, whose credits also include Pickpocket, The Platform and The World, is getting ready to shoot a big-budget martial arts epic set at the beginning of the 20th century.

The native of the northern city of Fenyang says the budget will be at least several million U.S. dollars — huge for the once underground director — and he will hire a Hong Kong fight choreographer. Veteran Hong Kong director Johnnie To, best known for his stylish action thrillers, is his producer.

Critics are wondering if Jia is abandoning his roots. It's the same charge that was leveled at Jia's predecessors like Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou. Chen and Zhang won critical acclaim in the West with stark stories of rural hardship but have gravitated toward commercial blockbusters in recent years.

Jia said in Hong Kong on Saturday that his fans have nothing to worry about.

"I will be back. I will not be making period movies forever. Old China is just one part of my imagination. The reality of modern China still attracts me a great deal. I want to prove over time that a director can enjoy a wide repertoire," he said.

The Chinese director, who was visiting Hong Kong to promote his documentary I Wish I Knew, said he won't follow the career paths of filmmakers like Chen and Zhang.

"They have already taught us a very good lesson. Why would I want to take the same path? I have seen that that path is no fun," he said.

Jia said he will start shooting his new project, called In the Qing Dynasty in Chinese, in March or April in and near his hometown. The story follows changes in a Chinese city after the abolishment of the imperial examination system and growing Western influences. The cast is still being decided.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/chinese-director-defends-break-art-33826

[sen_pai]

Cool....excited. I thought u were talking about johnny nguyen for a second there... Not impress with his work so far.

[lillippa328]

hope this is good!! I was thinking To was going to direct...that would be sweet