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Actress and juror not just a pretty face
By Li Anlan |
June 24, 2012, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A-LIST Chinese actress Li Bingbing, who stars in the upcoming "Resident Evil 5: Retribution," is a jury member for the Golden Goblet award of the Shanghai International Film Festival.
She starred in "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" (2011) alongside Hollywood mega star Hugh Jackman and Gianna Jun. She joined the international production of "Resident Evil 5: Retribution," to be released this September.
Li shot to fame after playing a seductive thief in the film "A World Without Thief" (2004), directed by Feng Xiaogang. Together with Fan Bingbing, Li is known as one of the "Two Bingbings" in the Chinese film industry.
In 2009, she won Best Actress in the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards for her portrayal of a calm and calculating secret agent in the film "The Message" set during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).
A graduate of the Shanghai Theater Academy, the Harbin native made her debut performance in "Seventeen Years" (1999), directed by Zhang Yuan. It won the Special Director's Award at Venice Film Festival that year.
For years, Li has strived to demonstrate that she is not just a pretty face and she is succeeding. She spoke with Shanghai Daily.
Q: What was it like filming an international production like "Resident Evil 5: Retribution?"
A: I missed home. I was shooting the film as a foreigner in a place full of foreigners, being the only Asian actress in the whole cast. It was a very interesting and new experience for me. In working with them I learned many worthwhile professional things.
Q: What's it like to make a film only in English?
A: At first I thought it should be fine as long as I could say the script. But after shooting the film, I have a teacher helping me to correct my pronunciation. People always ask for more from others. In the beginning, they are OK you can speak English, then they want you to speak good English, then they want it not only good but also pure. I think it's good to force myself to do it.
Q: Before you were judged by others at film festivals, now you a judge. What's that like?
A: I think it's not easy, and suddenly I can understand the contenders as well as the hard work of the juries. The films at the festival are excellent, and it's a challenge to the juries to find the better ones. I feel my heart is opened, and it's a valuable life experience.
Q: How do the tastes of jurors from other countries differ from Chinese tastes?
A: There are definitely differences; we do disagree with each other sometimes and are prepared for it.
Q: What's your impression of jury head Jean Jacques Annaud?
A: He is a person who treats life as a film, and for him films are also his life.
Q: What do you focus on when judging?
A: Usually I focus on acting since I'm an actress. But there are so many things that need to be focused on as a juror, so I ask myself to pay attention to other elements as well. One principle is that the film should touch me.
Q: Do you focus on the Chinese films in the competition?
A: Not particularly. Domestic films are about our own culture, so they're easier to watch because it's not hard to understand.
She starred in "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" (2011) alongside Hollywood mega star Hugh Jackman and Gianna Jun. She joined the international production of "Resident Evil 5: Retribution," to be released this September.
Li shot to fame after playing a seductive thief in the film "A World Without Thief" (2004), directed by Feng Xiaogang. Together with Fan Bingbing, Li is known as one of the "Two Bingbings" in the Chinese film industry.
In 2009, she won Best Actress in the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards for her portrayal of a calm and calculating secret agent in the film "The Message" set during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1937-45).
A graduate of the Shanghai Theater Academy, the Harbin native made her debut performance in "Seventeen Years" (1999), directed by Zhang Yuan. It won the Special Director's Award at Venice Film Festival that year.
For years, Li has strived to demonstrate that she is not just a pretty face and she is succeeding. She spoke with Shanghai Daily.
Q: What was it like filming an international production like "Resident Evil 5: Retribution?"
A: I missed home. I was shooting the film as a foreigner in a place full of foreigners, being the only Asian actress in the whole cast. It was a very interesting and new experience for me. In working with them I learned many worthwhile professional things.
Q: What's it like to make a film only in English?
A: At first I thought it should be fine as long as I could say the script. But after shooting the film, I have a teacher helping me to correct my pronunciation. People always ask for more from others. In the beginning, they are OK you can speak English, then they want you to speak good English, then they want it not only good but also pure. I think it's good to force myself to do it.
Q: Before you were judged by others at film festivals, now you a judge. What's that like?
A: I think it's not easy, and suddenly I can understand the contenders as well as the hard work of the juries. The films at the festival are excellent, and it's a challenge to the juries to find the better ones. I feel my heart is opened, and it's a valuable life experience.
Q: How do the tastes of jurors from other countries differ from Chinese tastes?
A: There are definitely differences; we do disagree with each other sometimes and are prepared for it.
Q: What's your impression of jury head Jean Jacques Annaud?
A: He is a person who treats life as a film, and for him films are also his life.
Q: What do you focus on when judging?
A: Usually I focus on acting since I'm an actress. But there are so many things that need to be focused on as a juror, so I ask myself to pay attention to other elements as well. One principle is that the film should touch me.
Q: Do you focus on the Chinese films in the competition?
A: Not particularly. Domestic films are about our own culture, so they're easier to watch because it's not hard to understand.
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