Source: Xinhua
02-11-2009 08:52
Special Report: Mei Lanfang"I hope "Forever Enthralled" can get one of the lovely bears we have to give," said Wieland Speck, director of the Panorama Section of the 59th International Film Festival Berlin (Berlinale).
"I like it very much of course. It gives us resemblance on 'Farewell to My Concubine'. There is no doubt about it." Speck told Xinhua in an interview on Monday.
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| Chen Kaige(L-2), director of 'Forever Enthralled', Zhang Ziyi, Li Ming(R-1), Chen Hong(L-1) presents the film's premiere in Berlin. |
Zhang Ziyi's performance is wonderful, he said, "She is a great counterpart to Leon Lai, so I think it is a good pair to watch."
He also spoke highly of director Chen Kaige, saying "the scene made by Chen Kaige is of course very pleasant because he is a master."
The aim of Panorama Section of Berlinale is to give an overview of trends in art-house world cinema. It also attempts to bridge the divide between artistic vision and commercial interest.
This year's Panorama presented 48 full-length films with 35 world premieres and 13 directorial debuts.
Speck said, "Panorama means you look around 360 degrees. This is how open we are to all kinds of themes."
He also said, "We are always interested in the very diverse art that China has to offer. And over the years Berlin has acquired a wonderful position actually in the world to show films from China from many different kinds of film makers."
Talking about the Chinese movies in this year's Panorama, Speck said, "Dongbei Dongbei" made by the Chinese mainland was one of his favorites.
He said the film "shows very sweet and at the same time harsh insight in the very modern life of rural northern China. And it is the way that gives us space and time to be with the people in the film. It actually makes it very interesting for the audience."
"That is the film that I thought would go well over in Berlin and actually it has a very good reception here," he said,"
He also praised the director of this film, Zou Peng, saying, "I hope he will become famous after everyone has seen his film here, because he is a very intelligent young man."
Speck is also fond of another two Chinese films produced in China's Taiwan, saying, "'Ghosted' is a German-Taiwanese co-production, which shows a very interesting culture in Taiwan that ghost is a normal thing."
The other film "Yangyang" is produced by Gang Li, brother of Ang Lee. Speck said, "It tells a story about a young woman in a very precise and beautiful way."
