00:00A Chinese film depicting the lives of four generations of farmers has just won Best Director
00:07at the Berlin Film Awards.
00:09Huameng, seen here on the left, wrote and directed Living the Land, which is set in
00:15the 1990s and addresses the clash between traditional life and modernization in rural
00:20China.
00:21Well, Zhang Fan is one of the film's producers.
00:24I guess we're welcome.
00:25The first thing we should say really is congratulations.
00:28This must be a wonderful, sweet moment.
00:30Why do you think this has captured the hearts of the Berlin Film Festival?
00:37I think, first of all, this is such an exciting moment for all of us, especially the filmmaker,
00:43the director, Huameng.
00:46If I would say, what was the things that really caught people's hearts and mind, especially
00:50the Berlin knowledge jury, is probably, I'm going to quote by quote some of their lines.
00:56It is that they said, it is the extraordinary eye for every detail, as well as for the large
01:02poetic composition.
01:04It is the graceful balance between observation and narrative that allows the juries to actually
01:10connect so closely to the many individual characters inside of this film.
01:15And as if they themselves were members of the family.
01:19So I think that's why.
01:21And also, at the same time, because the director had all the cast inside of the film, most
01:26of them, they are non-professional actors and actresses.
01:30So I think this directing skill, like he's able to direct these kind of actors and actresses,
01:38truly also amazed the jury, I believe.
01:40Now, Living the Land focuses on four generations of farmers.
01:43I mean, why does a film all about farming and the countryside speak to this largely
01:50urban city world, you think?
01:54I think, you know, interestingly, Living the Land really, really vividly portrays this
02:00family of four generations from like small details of people's daily lives.
02:06It is really skillfully woven and let's say, you know, shot over four seasons.
02:11And actually, I think the film captures people's daily farming, meals, wedding, funeral,
02:16everything that, you know, which is so common and simple.
02:20And I saw actually many, many audiences who saw the film said it reminded them of their
02:25hometowns and even had a lot of nostalgia.
02:28So I mean, compared to the busy daily life in the cities, this story really calmed people
02:34down somehow.
02:35And, you know, the beautiful landscape and all the beautiful memories that they had really
02:39made the audiences feel themselves finding a quiet and immersive moment inside of the
02:45cinema.
02:46Zhang Fan, congratulations and we wish you continued success and thanks so much for coming
02:51on the show.
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