Ying 300 - Nanfang Metropolis Daily China Film Centennial Special Planning

Author: Bo Jiangming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: I don’t know what others think, but for me, the centennial of Chinese cinema is a daunting term. If I may use a metaphor, the centennial of Chinese cinema is like a dusty old house, filled with countless rooms. Rushing in blindly, I would have turned around in disappointment. At that moment, an old man with a white beard stopped me and handed me a treasure map to guide me through this old house. Suddenly, the gloomy mansion began to glow, and it was these treasures that enchanted the entire house—they were the hidden secrets of its soul. Just like the well that the Little Prince sought in the desert, the well that made the desert beautiful and radiant.
At the end of last year, I was struck speechless in the face of the centennial of Chinese cinema. This ancient house, said to be hidden with countless treasures, radiated a mysterious glow. Together with my colleagues and friends, we made a bold vow to draw that treasure map. It was, of course, an arduous task, even with the help of seasoned film culture workers, Mr. Luo Ka and Mr. Shu Qi, as well as many judges of the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards.
In March of this year, the treasure map was finally completed—the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards announced the lists of the top 100 films, top 100 directors, and top 100 actors in the centennial of Chinese cinema. Next, the Hong Kong Film Awards selected the top 100 films of Chinese cinema from a Hong Kong perspective. Now, we await the list of the top 100 films to be announced by the China Film Association in the second half of the year. Holding these three treasure maps and searching through this vast old house is both exhilarating and dizzying.
Of the two lists that have already been released, it is clear that they each have their own direction. The Hong Kong Film Awards’ list features over 60 Hong Kong films and only about ten mainland films, clearly reflecting a Hong Kong perspective. The Film Critics Society’s list includes nearly 50 Hong Kong films and nearly 30 mainland films, broadening the scope of mainland cinema. While both lists have similarities, such as including almost the same films from before the founding of New China and relatively fewer Taiwanese films, it would be ideal if there were a treasure map from Taiwan that focused on this aspect. Additionally, the 17-year period of mainland cinema is almost entirely overlooked. The list to be released by the China Film Association in the second half of the year is expected to prioritize mainland films and limit the proportion of Hong Kong films, which should help address this gap.
I greatly admire the approach of the Hong Kong Film Awards—not referring to the organizers’ method of having 100 industry insiders vote, but rather that alongside the top 100 list, they also detailed each person’s individual choices. Artistic evaluations have never been truly fair or just. Art cannot be weighed on a scale or measured with a stopwatch—it is subjective. Moreover, selecting 100 pieces of art is even more so. Therefore, publishing everyone’s choices adds a personal touch to the treasure map, ensuring that our centennial of Chinese cinema is not arbitrarily stamped with a mark of democratic election.
I dread elections like this—they risk making this treasure-filled house lose its vitality. From the beginning, we did not want to demand fairness or justice for this list. What we wanted was an exciting treasure map, not a dry certificate for each confirmed treasure. Since we aimed for a treasure map, we completely disregarded seniority or hierarchy. This treasure map differs from all expectations—it was drawn with a passionate, original, and innocent love for cinema.
“In the selection process, we emphasized diversity and inclusivity—covering all genres, from art films, musicals, traditional operas, comedies, wuxia, kung fu films, horror films, and crime thrillers, without being confined to any mainstream or prejudice.” (Luo Ka’s words)
After the list was announced, there were indeed criticisms. Some films were deemed far more important than others, yet some were included while others were not. It sounded like a discussion from a meeting about selecting model workers. Some reviews listed the “eight great missed treasures,” but from this perspective, I could also identify the “top 100 missed treasures.”
Before the list was released, I and others relentlessly questioned Shu Qi and Luo Ka until they were nearly exasperated: Why was Ning Ying’s Police Story excluded but Finding Joy included? Why was A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella left out? Why was The Biography of Wu Xun not selected?
In the face of the centennial of Chinese cinema, Luo Ka, an older film culture worker, said he only saw “the tip of the iceberg of Chinese cinema.” Besides, there are only 100 names. This treasure map is too small to vividly depict the vast and radiant light and shadow of the centennial of Chinese cinema. But this treasure map has made the old house glow, drawing us in. In the corners we had never noticed, we wander, search, laugh, cry, become obsessed, or lose ourselves.
Indeed. After participating in the entire process of drawing this treasure map, I began to love this dusty old house. It’s as if I live inside it. Though many rooms filled with treasures are locked, and many challenges remain to open them, I still feel content. The treasures sing in the dimly lit rooms. It is the treasure maps that awaken them, allowing them to sing. Those shadows that have danced for so many years awaken our souls.
Yes, we awaken together, humming in unison.