Director in despair
Wang Xiaoshuai has caused a stir at the Shanghai International Film Festival, condemning his fellow directors during a seminar on the state of the Chinese movie industry.

Wang, who won a Silver Bear for screenplay at Berlin last year with In Love We Trust (Zuo You), was on stage with Lu Chuan, Ning Hao and Wei Te-sheng.

The art house filmmaker suddenly turned to his fellow panelists and told the audience: "They're all successful members of the 100 million yuan club but they fail as directors."

He went on to label their movies "too commercial" and accused them of failing to treat film as an art form. He concluded: "The biggest problem of Chinese cinema is the over-obsession with money. "I strongly believe cinema is art. Films need dignity and confidence. I am happier than these other directors because I can still make films I really like."

As those present digested the full force of Wang's attack, Lu Chuan stood up in his defense.

The director, whose Nanjing: City of Life and Death (Nanjing Nanjing) has been a hit with fans and critics alike, says that films like The Godfather, which sold well and were hailed for their artistic merit, were what was needed.
"It is an outdated opinion to divide art and commerce," he said. "Film first and foremost is a consumption product. Do not try to guide the viewers and look down on them from such a lofty position."

The festival, which runs until Sunday, is being held amid a boom time for China's film industry. Its box office takings last year were a record-breaking 4.34 billion yuan ($638 million), an increase of 30 percent on 2007 and representing continuous annual growth of 25 percent since 2002.

75-year-old building comes alive with stories

Feature | Culture and history
2009-6-17

THE dilapidated building at 173 Shaanxi Road has survived seven decades of turbulent history. Its grimy, neglected walls have witnessed grandeur and war, stories and secrets. But since the walls can't speak,...

New indie studio clinches funds and distribution

Business | Advertisement/media
2009-6-16

A self-styled independent movie studio announced its launch yesterday by putting together the two things that independent films lack most: distribution and financing. DF Indie Studios, headed by two New York corporate...

Do-it-yourself dramas a new trend

Feature | Film and TV
2009-6-16

CHINESE directors are spicing up TV series, making them more interactive and giving them open endings so the audience can help craft the plot. At a time when American TV drama series like "Prison Break" and "Desperate...

Bright future predicted for film industry

Metro | Entertainment and nightlife
2009-6-15

DESPITE the economic downturn, the Chinese film market is on the rise, and its diversity, plus good marketing and distribution, are considered the engines for its future growth, industry experts said yesterday in Shanghai. ..