" Life Events " poster.
is produced by Han Yan , written and directed by Liu Jiangjiang, starring Zhu Yilong , and Yang En specially introduced that the movie "The Great Events in Life" will be pre-screened on June 23 and will be released nationwide on June 24. The separation of life and death has always been a taboo for Chinese people. The movie "The Great Events in Life" brings the story of a funeralist who cares about nothing to the big screen. The ending song "Every star in the sky is the one who has loved us" is like a warm outlet, allowing those who have experienced separation to see a little light when they look up at the starry sky. The film also uses the warm story between Mo Sanmei (called "Three Brothers" in the film) and Xiaowen, a stranger, to penetrate the positive inspiration behind birth, old age, sickness and death and the impermanence of life, that is, to cherish every beautiful friendship in front of you. The epidemic is unpredictable, and there are sentiments in the world. Beijing News interviewed Han Yan, the producer of "Life Events", and asked them to tell the inside story of their creation.
Face life and death in a relaxed and warm manner
Beijing News: Funeral themes are rarely seen on the domestic screen, why did you choose to create this theme?
Han Yan: Life and death is an ultimate care , the ultimate topic, and the most basic dramatic need. The script is the most instinctive and primitive, so I am particularly fond and sensitive to this type of subject. This movie was not filmed because it was scarce, but because it was more suitable for carrying our thoughts on life and death. Funeral is just a symbol and entrance, and the plot is the core of the content we want to express. The film uses ease and warmth to strip away fear and face the passing of life. This is something we are very worthy of our challenge. Chinese people are born with respect for death. Many people would avoid it before, and even feel unlucky to exclude funeral practitioners. We used this movie to unfold their lives. In fact, they are a group of people we should record.
Liu Jiangjiang: My grandfather and my uncle are both carpenters. They occasionally help the villagers make coffins. When I was a child, there were many coffins made by fish fillets, mulberry locust trees, pine wood , cypress wood , etc. in my yard. Because my family is doing this profession, when I was a child, I followed them to the funeral and saw a lot of delicious food, fun, opera singers and movies. So when I was a child, I was deeply impressed by the funeral, and these were even enlightenment for my literary and artistic hobbies. Later, I worked in a reporter and column drama on the TV station and wrote stories related to funerals. In 2018, I went to Baiyangdian to collect folk customs and people. This information was mixed together and I gradually had an idea to make a funeral theme that was related to growth. I started writing in 2019. One day, I passed by a shrine shop after get off work, and there was a car parked at the door, full of wreaths and urns. In the evening, through the doors and windows, I saw a little girl sitting next to the coffee table, doing her homework. This scene touched me directly, and I seemed to see a theme, because the store is also a family, and it also has the feeling of spring in the corner. After having this idea, the first version of the script was quickly written.
Mo Sanmei and Xiaowen hand-painted funeral car. Photo provided by the film crew
Mo Sanmei is not like a funeralist. Xiaowen is wild and tough
Beijing News: Why did she choose to shoot in Wuhan?
Han Yan: Wuhan is a particularly vivid city with a strong fireworks and a very lively atmosphere. It also retains the appearance of many old cities, and people in the city also love life very much. We want to talk about death in a vibrant city, which will create a contrast.
Liu Jiangjiang: In fact, we are talking about life from the perspective of funerals. What we want is the kind of story of bright clothes and angry horses, lively and fragrant, and full of fireworks. Wuhan is a place that makes you feel that life is really good.
Beijing News: Mo Sanmei is different from the previous publicly recognized image of the funeralist. Why did she design characters like this?
Han Yan: My first reaction after reading the script is that this funeralist image must not look like a funeralist. If you look like a funeralist, you can't take a picture.This movie uses the camera to follow a funeralist who does not want to be a funeralist, and slowly walks a journey to see how he experiences the process of realizing the sacredness of his profession from the heart, and how he goes from a lost state to knowing himself, so that the contrast between characters and arc can be achieved.
Funeralist Mo Sanmei is actually very warm inside. Photo provided by the film crew
Liu Jiangjiang: The characters we want to present are affectionate and interesting. "Three Brother" looks unreliable in vest slippers, but he is innocent in his bones, but he just looks unrestrained. But he is a dog-slaughtering person who keeps innocence and absurdity in the great era.
Beijing News: What are the characteristics of Wu Xiaowen, played by Yang En,?
Han Yan: Xiaowen is a somewhat wild child. She loves to play mahjong and square dance, and she comes into contact with old men and women, and her life circle is different from that of ordinary children.
Liu Jiangjiang: The verdict written for Xiaowen is "feelings and righteousness, lawlessness", because it has something to do with her growing environment. She was raised by her grandmother and grew up in a more casual group environment. She was nourished by human feelings and lived a resilient life. These "burrs" presented by Xiaowen actually carry the love of grandma for her. Xiaowen has never met her parents since she was a child. Grandma knew that she was not living for too long. Only when she let Xiaowen be "awesome" could Xiaowen survive. This is a very deep expression of intergenerational love.
To live as an interesting, affectionate and righteous person
Beijing News: The relationship between "Three Brothers" and Xiaowen gradually has family-like affection. What theme do you want to convey through such relationship changes?
Han Yan: "Three Brothers" has problems with his original family. He competed with his father and felt that he was a spare tire. Xiaowen simply never met his parents and grew up with his grandmother, who died at the beginning. The two people who have no origin are like those who popped out of the cracks of stones, and are both in a very lonely state. It is natural for two people to understand each other and understand each other's state of mind. This relationship is mixed with a layer of attitude towards how you should treat strangers around you. The third brother faces strangers every day, and is more of the strangers. Waiting for him to be buried, it is Xiaowen's sudden appearance that changes his life.
Liu Jiangjiang: I think this kind of relationship is very wonderful, it is not shallower than blood-related feelings. The line in the movie "Life is nothing big before death", what is a big thing in life? It means cherishing every beautiful emotion you have. I have time to take my children to the playground and take my wife to a movie. When my friends get together, I drink happily and cherish all the beautiful love in front of me.
Xiaowen looked up at the stars at night and missed her grandmother. Photo provided by the film crew
Beijing News: What kind of concept of life and death or attitude towards life does "Major Events in Life" express?
Han Yan: Generally, major events in life are good things, such as titles on the Golden List and wedding wedding candles. There is a saying: "All injuries suffered are scratches in the face of life and death." This sentence is actually "no major problem in life except death." We regard death as a big deal because we face death. No matter how you avoid death, you can’t avoid death, no matter how much you avoid it, you may think that the funeralist eats death or how despised you, this industry cannot avoid death. We should regard it as a big thing and as a normal thing.
Liu Jiangjiang: Sending someone away is actually a healing process. Some people draw an end, and some people draw an exclamation mark . You can see at the funeral how this person will live in this life. This will also urge us to become what kind of person we want to live as an interesting, affectionate, righteous, and leave traces for everyone... In fact, it is to inspire us to live the life we want from the perspective of death. Everyone may have experienced some separation in the epidemic in recent years. This movie appears at this time. I also hope to provide you with an opportunity to meet friends and family, cherish the time together, and feel the warmth and happiness in daily life.
editing Huang Jialing
proofreading Xue Jingning
