CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Thursday, August 1, 2019 | 19 LIFE Showing his fighting spirit
Jackie Chan’s film festival dedicated to the action genre holds fifth edition, Xu Fan reports.
ackie Chan says he misses “On my third day in this school, I old friends and acquaintan was severely beaten by my master. I ces whom he hasn’t met for cried and screamed,” Chan recalls. years. While having meals, also part of J“When people reach such an age, the tradition that troupe members they perhaps feel that they won’t see usually eat together, Chan recalls he each other again after saying zaijian often couldn’t reach the meat or vege (see you),” Chan, 65, says in an inter table dishes easily but instead had to view. “I’m cherishing those who are just eat bowls of rice in front of him, still in my life and I wish to have as using chopsticks to get food from a more gatherings with friends.” distance was deemed disrespectable Having worked in more than 200 behavior in front of a master. films over 50 years, the Hong Kong “It was somewhat like a prison for legend and global star is also using me during the 10 years … I had no his influence to help those in the dreams back then. My only wish was field of action in cinema, an area to not get beaten by my shifu (mas that aided his rise. ter),” Chan says. The 5th Jackie Chan Internation But soon after, a young Chan dem al Action Film Week was held in onstrated his gift for martial arts, Datong, North China’s Shanxi prov earning many chances to play small ince, from July 21 to Saturday, and roles in films such as Big and Little was attended by more than 700 Wong Tin Bar and The Love Eterne. movie and martial arts fans from 44 “I loved the days on the filming countries and many celebrities, sets,” he adds. including Oscarwinning actor The candid star reveals the main Adrien Brody, mainland star Wu gain at the time was that he could Jing and Hong Kong director Tsui eat full meals at film sets than in the Hark. school. The festival drew 152 films from But the early experience as a child 36 countries that contended for the actor also instilled in him more Iron Man Awards, an honor empha knowledge about action films, pav sizing the major role of the action ing the way for Chan to become a genre. martial arts stuntman and choreog Popular Taiwan singers Jonathan rapher. And it was his struggles in Lee and Wakin Chau performed at the early 1970s as an action extra the closing ceremony, with Chan and standin that made him see how himself running to the stage to sing unfairly stunt performers were along. treated. The audience gave a standing Emerging from his stylish kung fu ovation to Yuen Wooping, 74, when comedies in the late 1970s, Chan he was presented the festival’s top soared in Hong Kong cinema and honor — lifetime achievement — at forayed into Hollywood in the the closing ceremony on Saturday. 1980s, establishing himself as one of Among the most influential figures the few Chinese faces in the interna of Hong Kong action cinema, Yuen tional film market in the following directed his first film Snake in the decades. In recent years, other than Eagle’s Shadow in 1978, which also his hectic career in cinema, Chan became Chan’s first boxoffice suc has promoted charity causes. cess as a lead. “After so many years, people who The film also started Chan’s have been with me — from fans to screen signature style of mixing critics to my JC Stunt Team mem kung fu with comedy. bers — they have all changed my Chan remembers the struggles as mind, transforming me from my a stuntman in his early years, and is past arrogant self and somewhat using the festival as a platform to selfish person to a caring, better per give recognition for the many peo son,” he says. “I want to do some ple behind hazardous shots in mov thing for those who have done many ies. things for me.” “I had two wishes for 20 years. But the irony is that even at his One was to hold an event for stunt film festival it’s the celebrities performers, as few international fes (actors and actresses) who walk on tivals have set awards for them. The After so many years, the red carpet at the opening and other was to establish an alliance for closing ceremonies who still draw stuntmen (and stuntwomen) to people who have the most media attention. bring them more welfare, such as been with me ... have At a time when the industry has insurance and standardized pay,” technology to generate action Chan says. all changed my mind, Top: Jackie Chan (center) sings along with Taiwan singers Jonathan Lee (left) and Wakin Chau (right) at sequences, the new challenge for Aside from the annual film festi transforming me the closing ceremony of the 5th Jackie Chan International Action Film Week in Datong, Shanxi province, on people doing the real kicks, punch val he launched five years ago, a Chi Saturday. Above: Chan with Yuen Wooping (left), one of the most influential figures of Hong Kong action es, falls and fights is how to continue na Stunt Artist Alliance was formed from my past cinema, who won the festival’s lifetime achievement award. PHOTOS BY WANG WU AND LI FUBIN / FOR CHINA DAILY to earn a living. in 2017. But Chan says he is still arrogant self and “I believe it’s good for the future of working to establish an internation action films that people doing al alliance for stunt artists across the somewhat selfish worked as a chef and his mother was terapprentice teaching system to inherited by generations who lead stunts are getting better safety pro world, an appeal he highlighted at person to a caring, a domestic helper. train his students. Chan spent 10 opera troupes, masters used physi tection now than earlier. We should this year’s festival. His father later relocated to Aus years there. Among his peers were cal punishment to discipline stu explore more on how to shoot better In the late 1950s, when Hong better person.” tralia for a new job and Chan was Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao, who dents but they also established a action films,” he says. Kong was still a British colony, Chan Jackie Chan, action star sent to the China Drama Academy, a later became martial arts stars of connection with their apprentices grew up in the small quarters of the Peking Opera school run by Yu Jim Hong Kong cinema. almost like that between a parent Contact the writer at French embassy, where his father yuen who used the traditional mas Following a centuriesold custom and a child. [email protected] Modern Chinese dance drama set to make US debut
NEW YORK — About two weeks and crafting a siege echo through purely Chinese,” she says, adding away from the US premiere, mem out life, even today. that the production is made possi bers of the acclaimed Chinese dance Yang says the integration of vari ble thanks to joint efforts of the drama Under Siege are busy ous kinds of Chinese cultural ele It is an experimental entire team. rehearsing amid the sweltering ments helps to enhance the drama’s drama of “All the dancers are talented, try heat. oriental beauty, including the art ing to portray characters in their Combining traditional papercut installations featuring scissors contemporary dance, own way,” says Yang. ting performances, glamorous hanging from the ceiling and the red highlighting Chinese Under Siege, a project supported Peking Opera costumes, haunting feathers on the floor. by the China National Arts Fund, is operatic voices, bold martial arts “The installation art by Chinese culture and aesthetics expected to make its US premiere at and installation art, Under Siege is a American artist Beili Liu deepens through an New York’s Lincoln Center on Aug 8 work of contemporary dance based the theme, as the simple household and will be staged three times on powerful body language and an tool — the scissors — implies danger international lens.” through Aug 10. authentic Chinese spirit. and fear in Chinese culture,” the Chi Yang Liping, chief Liu, installation artist and crea It retells the story of an epic battle nese dancing master says, illustrat choreographer and director tive consultant for the production, in Chinese history between the Chu ing the cultural connotation of the of the show says she expects this wellcrafted and Han kingdoms’ armies more staging. show will provide US audiences than 2,000 years ago. Using motifs such as scissors and with a different perspective of Chi The dance drama has been hailed red feathers, instead of knives and nese culture. as an aesthetic triumph for its visual swords, to portray a key clash in Chi Hong Kongborn Tim Yip, who splendor since its 2015 debut in Chi nese history, embodies a kind of qui Yang Liping, renowned For decades, she has been dedicat won the 2001 Academy Award for na. et power, as well as Chinese dancer and chief ed to Chinese folk dance, which usu best art direction for Crouching “It is an experimental drama of philosophy, Yang explains. choreographer and ally takes its inspiration from Tiger, Hidden Dragon, took the lead contemporary dance, highlighting The theater also features Ambush director of Under Siege, nature. Under Siege is one of her in the costume and scene design for Chinese culture and aesthetics from Ten Sides, a famous Chinese waves to the audience recent efforts to embark on the the drama. through an international lens,” says classical composition for the pipa (a at the end of a timeless themes of siege, ambush The US debut is a highlight of the Yang Liping, chief choreographer lute) that describes the decisive bat performance of the and human nature. ongoing 53rd Mostly Mozart Festi and director of the show. tle between the Chu and Han dance drama. The show Yang emphasizes that underscor val, an annual summer event at the “We are using modern methods to armies. will have its US ing the beauty and national identity Lincoln Center presenting dozens of tell a very wellknown historical sto Yang is a household name in Chi premiere at New York’s of Chinese art forms is essential to concerts, dance dramas, operas and ry,” the renowned Chinese dancer na, making her name back in 1986 Lincoln Center on Aug 8. the endeavor of going global. films. says, noting that the themes: strate with her dance piece, Spirit of the PHOTOS BY CUI JUNCHANG / “This time, from the visual gizing, scheming, laying ambush Peacock. FOR CHINA DAILY effects to dance and music, it’s all XINHUA