The tribute film “1921” was unveiled, and classics such as “Heroes and Sons” returned to the screen, celebrating the centenary of the party’s founding theme throughout the Shanghai International Film Festival
Red light and shadow reflect the original heart
One hundred years ago, Shanghai became the birthplace of the party and the origin of its original intention; one hundred years later, the 24th Shanghai International Film Festival held here pays tribute to history and the era with the interweaving of light and shadow.
On the evening of June 11th, at the opening ceremony of the film festival, a piece of precious party history video material from a century ago was restored and colored by 4K technology, and presented to the audience with a completely new look. It seemed that everyone “traveled” back to the era of passionate awakening. Feel that unswerving original intention.
Whether it is a man of lofty ideals full of enthusiasm a hundred years ago, pioneer martyrs who devoted themselves fearlessly during the founding of New China, or strugglers from all walks of life, including generations of filmmakers, their dedication to faith and their unremitting commitment to ideals Pursuing, this kind of inheritance is endless, leaving an indelible mark in a hundred years of light and shadow.
1 As the opening film of this film festival, “1921” reproduces the story of passionate young people from all corners of the world, overcoming many difficulties, and gathering in Shanghai to convene the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China
“Now the red movies are very beautiful, the stories are well told, and the audiovisual effects are also very shocking. I want to go to the theater to watch these movies.” Entering the Shanghai Exhibition Center, the huge poster of the movie “1921” came into view. Visitors have expressed that these red blockbuster films are the “superhero films” in their hearts, “these great men are the “superheroes” who brought us today’s peaceful life.”
On the evening of June 11, the movie “1921” was unveiled as the opening film of this festival. Regarding the original intention of creation, Huang Jianxin, the producer and director of the film, said: “The ancestors who appeared in this film really used their lives to pursue the truth and exchange for the future of more people. This is called greatness. Why did they only create a political party? It took 28 years to change China? That’s why we wanted to make this film. We wanted to explore the power of this belief that transcends life.”
The film focuses on this magnificent and pioneering historical moment a hundred years ago, recreating how this group of passionate young people from all over the world, with an average age of 28, broke through the obstruction of the dark forces at home and abroad, overcome numerous difficulties, and gathered in Shanghai to convene the National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The founding of the Communist Party of China.
In order to restore the historical details, the director team and the art team have conducted historical research for nearly four years; before setting up the setting, the production team and the director team discussed the “sense of age” and “atmosphere” of the film many times, one brick and one tile. , A wall paper to deepen the details of the setting, “from scratch” to create the atmosphere of the era required by the film.
According to research, 106 Wangzhi Road was the residence of Li Shucheng, the brother of Li Hanjun, representative of the Shanghai Communist Group at the time. When the Chinese Communist Party Congress was convened, the building had just been completed and only used for more than a year. In fact, it was a standard new building.
The house is easy to build, but the “new building with a sense of age” is difficult to handle. There is a conflict between modern building standards and Shikumen houses. In order to restore the original appearance, the skeletons of these “old buildings” must be built with reinforced concrete, and the modern structure must be “put on” the brick and wood structure of the old style. “coat”.
Huang Xuan, the actor who plays Li Da, said that after restoring the real scene, the actor has a more sense of substitution. He recalled that there was a scene in the movie when Mao Zedong met Li Da. Two Hunan fellows met. Li Da invited Mao Zedong to dinner in Shanghai, but there were no spicy dishes on the table. This was because Li Da had a serious stomach problem and could not eat spicy food because of his long-term desk and staying up late. “These details are a true restoration of historical life.”
According to reports, before joining the group, the actors read a lot of biographies and other historical materials, trying to get into the state of characters. What impressed the producer Ren Ning was that he often saw actors in front of the camera showing a sense of youth and youth with “belief in his heart and light in his eyes” on the monitor. This is what the director always pursues. Screenwriter Yu Xi believes that to tell the story of the founding of the party is to tell the story of China, “I hope that we who live in the bright era will still remember the glimmer of light and torch in the dark.”
2 Get closer to the true history behind the red classic movie, “Heroes” is adapted from the novella “Reunion” written by Ba Jin from the field of North Korea
In addition to the red films to be screened, this year’s film festival also specially planned the “A Hundred Years Journey · Red Light and Shadow” unit, which showcases major historical events since the founding of the party through the screening of classic films that tell stories about red in various periods.
“White-haired Girl”, “The Wave That Never Dies”, “The Song of Youth”, “The Red Detachment of Women”, “Heroic Sons and Daughters”… these films were absolutely “blockbuster” in the era when they were released.
“These old films, although unfamiliar to today’s post-90s and post-00s, are the profound memories of the older generation. Let today’s audiences re-enter the cinema to watch these films, and may have also contributed to generations of people. Dialogue.” said Ishikawa, the planner and film scholar of the unit.
What a good work of art directly hits the hearts of the people is the spiritual power carried behind the work, and the spiritual power lasts for a long time. Walk into the theater to watch the classic red movies, relive the tragic and evocative years in the history of the party in a century, and be able to personally experience the glorious history of the Chinese Communist Party’s hardships and misery.
“For victory, shoot at me!” This magnificent call came from the film “Heroes and Sons” shot by Changchun Film Studio, which shocked generations of Chinese audiences.
“Heroic Sons and Daughters” is adapted from the famous writer Ba Jin’s novel “Reunion”. In 1952, Ba Jin participated in the creation group for North Korea organized by the All-China Federation of Literary and Art Circles. He set foot on the devastated land of North Korea and went deep into the volunteer army to cover combat life and was deeply baptized.
In October 1952, Ba Jin’s company served as the main offensive task of attacking the “Red Mountain Bao” in the Kaesong Defense War. After the company commander and the instructor were injured successively, the deputy instructor Zhao Xianyou commanded the company to stand firm. In the end, only Zhao Xianyou and correspondent Liu Shunwu were left. Zhao Xianyou reported to the regiment commander with a walkie-talkie that the enemy had rushed into our army’s position and asked the artillery to shoot directly at his position and shouted “fire at me!” The position was taken back, but Zhao Xianyou and Liu Shunwu died heroically.
This plot was indelible in Ba Jin’s heart, and later evolved into the famous hero image “fire at me” in “Heroes”. After returning to China, Ba Jin wrote “Reunion”, which evoked a strong response. Xia Yan, then deputy minister of the Ministry of Culture, immediately asked the Changchun Film Studio to adapt it into a movie. Polished by the revised opinions from all walks of life, the novel “Reunion” has become the movie “Heroic Sons and Daughters”. In 1964, “Heroic Sons and Daughters” was released nationwide.
It is understood that during the filming of the most classic scene of “fire at me for victory”, more than 100 explosion points were placed. The director “started filming” and the explosion exploded. Wang Cheng’s actor, Liu Shilong, broke into the fire without fear. His eyebrows and temples were burning, and his arms were blistered. He ignored him completely and was completely absorbed into the situation.
This shot was successful in one shot. “The hero jumped out of the trenches, and an electric light pierced the sky”… The hero just stood upright in the hearts of hundreds of millions of viewers.
“The smoke billows and sings the hero, the green hills all around, listen carefully. On the sunny day, thunder beats the golden drum, and the sea rises to make harmony. People’s soldiers drive tigers and leopards, and forget their lives for peace…” People today still can’t help themselves. Singing this song, and a red classic movie, also inspire generation after generation of Chinese people.
3 The theme of the main theme is sought after by young people. The young people’s enthusiasm for history, admiration for great men, and the pursuit of ideals and beliefs have always been
In recent years, the theme of the theme has flourished, and it has blossomed in many fields such as movies and TV dramas. Many “Red Movies” and “Main Melody Movies” have gained success in word of mouth and traffic.
In the National Day file last year, the three main melodies of “Me and My Motherland”, “Captain of China” and “The Climber” led the domestic box office. “My Motherland and Me” has been released simultaneously worldwide, and the box office is so hot that it is hard to find a single ticket in many places.
More than movies. Recently, a number of historical TV dramas have triggered an upsurge of chasing dramas, and the ratings of major platforms are very eye-catching. The list of winners of the Magnolia Award at the 27th Shanghai TV Festival just held confirms this point. The two main melody TV series “Awakening Age” and “Sentiment of the Mountains and Seas” have almost swept all important awards.
Young people account for a large proportion of the audience of these main theme movies.
“Unexpectedly, one day I will give my parents Amway CCTV’s red theme drama…” This is a sentiment from a post-00 netizen, and the main theme of the TV series is “Awakening Age”. The Douban score of this drama is as high as 9.3 points, and it has been booked as “Best of the Year” by many netizens.
“It’s not surprising that “Awakening Age” activated some kind of sleeping genes for young people. Through this show, young people really saw the faces and figures of their ancestors, and realized the inner connection between themselves and them. This discovery is also what makes them excited.” said cultural critic Han Haoyue.
And another TV series “Across the Yalu River” has also received five-star praise from many young netizens. “I originally watched it with my dad, but I watched one episode and one episode for myself.” A netizen left a message.
Some netizens specifically counted the age at which the martyrs sacrificed: Yang Gensi, a super hero who rushed to the enemy with a dynamite bag, was 28 years old; Huang Jiguang, a super hero who blocked his guns with a flesh and blood body, was 21 years old; Qiu Shaoyun, who was lurking in the fire and motionless, was 26 years old… …When these soldiers died, they were at the same age as many young audiences and people of different ages, which aroused stronger empathy.
From “Wolf Warriors 2” and “Operation Red Sea” to “Wandering Earth”, “My Motherland and Me”, to “Mountain and Sea Love” and “Awakening Age”, “post-90s” and “post-00s” have repeatedly paid attention to the theme of the theme. verification. This fully shows that young people’s enthusiasm for history, admiration for great men, and pursuit of ideals and beliefs have always been there.
Professor Guan Ling, Dean and Professor of the School of Drama, Film and Television of the Communication University of China, said, “We may have some narrow understanding of the’main theme’ in the past, but in fact, any work that can present the beautiful things in social life can make the audience participate. What you enter to reflect on your own life should actually be called the’main melody’, because it represents the direction of the times.”
Director Fu Dongyu said that the theme of the theme is sought after among young people, and the reason cannot be simply attributed to the node of the “100th anniversary of the founding of the party”, but should be thoroughly studied why the existing excellent theme works have moved the audience. He believes that when the main melody work opens up the details of people’s lives, including the review of history and the expression of the relationship between history and the present, it will moisten things silently and output the appeal to the audience, “It is like our father’s inheritance to us, We continue to carry on some of the qualities of the next generation. It is only natural that this kind of beautiful inheritance can affect the young people of the moment.”
4 The more classic themes, the more long-lasting vitality, the more potential and possibility to make new interpretations
Why have the main theme movies become more and more popular with young audiences in recent years? How to expand the space for exploration in the ideological, artistic, and commercial aspects of the main melody film and win greater development?
On June 12th, at the opening forum of the film festival “Total One Hundred Years Dream and Set Sail”, leading figures in the domestic film industry gathered to provide advice and suggestions for the high-quality development of China’s film industry.
This year, China Film Group has curated nearly ten major themed works, including “Above the Cliff” and “My Father and Me” and “Infinite Depth” which were screened on “May 1st”. Fu Ruoqing, deputy secretary and vice chairman of the Party Committee of China Film Group, and vice chairman and general manager of China Film Corporation, said that they have found a successful expression path for the main theme film: “In the creative process, more focus is on every century. , Under every big historical background, the demeanor and efforts of ordinary people (under the historical background)”,”cutting in from the perspective of small people, using artistic methods to restore historical events, often receive better effect”. He also noticed that “the few relatively popular films today, especially after the epidemic, are actually emotional collisions”, “so we will work harder on the real-life level in future creations”.
From “The Founding of the Country” to “The Founding of the Party” and then to “Me and My Motherland”, the fifth-generation director Huang Jianxin’s creation in recent years focuses on the main theme and grand narrative. In his view, the core of the film is the shaping of people. The combination of actors and roles is the soul of the movie. “In the past, we sometimes took high shots and the audience couldn’t stand next to them. Some audience members said that you want me to look up and look at me very tired. I want to look at it for a while. Actually, the truly admirable great person is not It’s so high.”
He used his own film “Changjin Lake” as an example. There is a scene in the film: In the early 1950s, Chairman Mao had only two clothes without patches. There was a ready-to-wear patch of more than fifty dollars. After the guard threw it away, Chairman Mao was furious and thought that the clothes could still be worn. “Is this the previous creative method? But we wrote the story behind it.” Huang Jianxin introduced. In fact, Chairman Mao gave his only coat to Mao Anying, and Mao Anying and Liu Siqi saved 8 months of salary and gave it to Dad went to the battlefield and sacrificed after a coat. When Chairman Mao thought of him, he would take out that coat and put it on his shoulders and walk in the snow in Zhongnanhai. “These stories are based on real history.”
When it comes to movies with the main melody, many filmmakers nowadays are also willing to call them “mainstream movies.” As Huang Jianxin said: “This is the consensus of everyone. We believe that the more classic themes, the more long-lasting vitality. Because with the continuous refreshing of the vision of the times and the aesthetic tastes of the public, the more classic themes have the potential and possibility to make new ones. Interpretation.” (Reporter Li Yunshu Guan Xiaopu)