As the son of a Chinese film director, I have been exposed to Chinese films throughout my life. Just recently, I had a conversation with my father over the phone, discussing his latest project “The Monk Comes Down the Mountain”. He has been making films for almost 30 years, but this is the first time that his film will be a co-production between a Chinese and an American film distribution company.
I asked him why he would launch a cooperation with a foreign film company. He simply told me that time is changing. With China’s consuming power for entertainment rising, the audience wants something that will greatly entertain them. However, I believe that cooperation does not mean a betrayal of what he wants to express in his films; instead, cooperation with more experienced film companies will only strengthen his message.
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