NEW ZEALAND FILM DIRECTOR FIRST TO DIRECT CHINESE FILM
New Zealand film director Simone Horrrocks (writer/director After the Waterfall) is heading to China this week, where she has been invited to direct a feature length drama, UNFORGETTABLE LOVE, with a Chinese crew, and in the Chinese language. She believes this may be a first for New Zealand, and a unique opportunity for a non-Chinese director.
“Thanks to an initiative supported by the former Mayor of Waitakere City, Mr Bob Harvey, Mr Jim He, Chairman of Pacific Culture and Arts Exchange Centre NZ, and Film Auckland, my debut feature AFTER THE WATERFALL had its world premiere in Beijing as part of the 5th New Zealand Film Festival Tour of the People’s Republic of China. I don’t think many non-Chinese films have their world premieres in China, so we attracted a lot of attention and the screening was a real red carpet event.
“After retuning home, producer Mr Tan Ligeng of China Jialong Culture and Communications Ltd, contacted me to say he was impressed by my film and asked if I would be interested in working in China. He sent me the script for UNFORGETTABLE LOVE, and a selection of films produced by his company. After reading the script, which I loved, and watching the films, it was easy to say ‘yes’.”
Since New Zealand signed the Co-Production Treaty with China last year, there has been a lot of interest in the New Zealand film community in the possibilities of co-operation with the Chinese Film Industry, but given the challenge of cultural difference and language barriers, the big question is, how this will actually work in practice?
“Of course this was an issue for me too. After Mr Tan’s invitation, I returned to Beijing to undertake a production attachment. I met several different directors and crew, and despite working through translators, found the difficulties of communication less daunting than I had expected. In the end we work in a medium that has the power to transcend cultural difference to communicate basic human truths and emotions. A film crew looks and works the same everywhere, so once on set, I felt instantly at home. Having said that, there is no doubt this will still be an extreme challenge for all of us! We will be working in the Yunnan region, in the mountainous South West of China, with a mixture of actors, and non-actors from the local communities. The writer of UNFORGETTABLE LOVE, Ms Wang Lin, an experienced film maker in her own right, who has won many awards for her films both in China and at overseas festivals, will be working closely with me as co-director, so the film will be a true collaboration”.
UNFORGETTABLE LOVE is not an official co-production, it is a Chinese film with a New Zealand director, but it is a significant first step in bringing our industries together. “I have a long standing interest in Chinese cinema, and love Chinese films, so it is a great privilege to have this opportunity, and I think we have a lot to learn from each other”.
SIMONE HORROCKS
Simone Horrocks will be on location in China from August 10th – (approx) September 17th 2011.
For further information please contact
SIMONE HORROCKS at:
simonehorrocks@hotmail.com
or
MR JIM HE, Pacific Culture and Arts Exhange Centre, NZ at:
jimhe@xtra.co.nz