man’s relationship “My interest in the relationship with wolves. It’s a between humans and animals is philosophical work magniicently described by this book,” of iction dedicated explained Annaud. “It is the story of a to the disappearing young man who discovers a civilization primitive grasslands – that has been the theme in many of and one of its my ilms.” inhabitants, the wolf. Annaud plans to spend three years breeding wolves before the ilm begins Wolf Totem has shooting. As they grow up, they will been on China’s top be faithfully recorded for use in the 10 best-seller list upcoming production. “You have to for six years since be very very patient about shooting it was published. animals. The domestication of wolves More than 3 million will take one and a half years. And the copies (and more average effective scene per day may than 17 million only be 20 seconds,” he said. More Hong Kong producer Bill Kong and pirated copies) than 100 wolf cubs will be trained for his company Edko Films will partner have been sold domestically since the production, with 20 eventually with the French director Jean-Jacques 2004 and translated into 30 languages, chosen to star in the ilm. In preparation Annaud for the big screen version of Wolf Totem has been published in 110 for production Annaud has already the bestselling Chinese novel “Wolf countries and regions. It was the irst completed extensive research in Totem.” It will be their irst ilmmaking Chinese book to successfully enter the Mongolia and China’s Inner Mongolia. collaboration. Western book market.

Kong has joined the “Wolf Totem” Beijing Forbidden City Film Company “It will be dificult to production led by Beijing Forbidden purchased adaptation ilm rights to City Film Co, whose general manager, the book six years ago, just after it work with the wolves, Xu Jianhai, told The Hollywood was published. However, due to the but 99% of what we Reporter “the ilm about a Chinese dificulty of shooting the ilm, no one show will be real...” student – Jean-Jacques Annaud’s was willing to take on the project. At production of the ilm based on Jiang the end of last year Annaud read the Rong’s novel is expected to take ive French edition of the novel. Deeply One of the reasons Annaud was given years to make. “With ‘Wolf Totem’ we moved, he contacted the ilm company the ilm was because of his extensive have to go through the whole process after reading only 100 pages. experience with animals. Directing The and see where we are with the budget Bear in 1998 (originally L’Ours) and then,” said Kong, CEO of EDKO The movie “Wolf Totem” is the irst Two Brothers, the story of twin tiger Films, who previously distributed Chinese ilm to be helmed by a noted cubs, Annaud is known for his patience Annaud’s “The Lover” and “Quest foreign director, marking a bold step and afinity with animals. for Fire” in Hong Kong. for domestic ilms to march into the international market. Casting is currently underway for the “It will be dificult to work with the movie and according to Annaud, the wolves, but 99% of what we show will The renowned director taking on the feature is expected to be released in be real,” said Annaud to AP, who plans project is perhaps best known for ilms three years time. Annaud has just begun to train live wolf-stars for the production, such as “Two Brothers”, “The Bear”, writing the script and said he hopes to much as he did for his 1988 ilm “The Lover”, and “Enemy at the Gates”. begin ilming in 2011. “It’s a dificult “The Bear.” He says he is deeply touched by the script to write, I’ll need at least six subtle relationship between humans and months,” he said. “Wolf Totem” has enjoyed record sales animals described in the book. And he in China. It is a semi-autobiographical has long hoped to ilm in China. The account of life in the late 1960s in the highly acclaimed director reportedly remote China-Mongolia border region turned down four Hollywood ilm offers and the struggle between tradition to take on the project. and modernity told through a young

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