Xie Jin once said, "Every creation of mine is a burning of life." With the enthusiasm of burning life, director Xie Jin has been in film for 60 years and has shot 36 films, talking about human affairs and writing family and national history. Under his lens, the historical changes of China in the 20th century and the fate of the country are connected in series, arousing the historical memory and extensive resonance of generations of Chinese audiences.
2023 coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of the famous film artist Xie Jin, and also the 30th anniversary of the Shanghai International Film Festival founded by Xie Jin. On June 16, "Masters of the Times, Looking Back Over a Century: Centennial Forum to Commemorate Xie Jin's Birth" was held in Shanghai Film City. Representatives of filmmakers and film critics who had a close relationship with director Xie Jin during his lifetime, starting from Xie Jin's classic works and artistic life, Share the cross-age film spirit of this "sign of an era" film master.
Special exhibition commemorating Xie Jin's 100th birthday
An exhibition with the largest space and the largest number of exhibits in the past 10 years since the opening of Dianbo
Xie Jin was the most influential director and artist in China in the second half of the 20th century, a pioneer who laid the foundation stone for the development of China's film and television industry, and a fellow traveler and witness of China's social and historical progress. The curatorial theme of the Film Museum this time comes from a famous saying by Xie Jin, "An artist must have a pure heart."
The entire exhibition covers an area of nearly 600 square meters, exhibiting 534 pieces/groups of exhibits, which are divided into eight sections, which comprehensively introduce Xie Jin's growth process, family ties, film creation achievements, film career and film education exploration, circle of friends, etc., and restore The scene of "Furong Town" and the scene of Xie Jin's study room are the largest exhibition space and the largest number of exhibits since the opening of the Shanghai Film Museum, including more than 200 pieces of Xie Jin's diary during the North China Revolutionary University period and the creation notes of "Chicken Feather Letter" The precious exhibits are all presented for the first time. For the curatorial team, "there are too many exhibits, but each one is reluctant to delete, and each object reflects Xie Jin's passionate and strong emotions for the film."
Xie Jin and his films have already stood tall and formed a heavy "Xie Jin spirit": a scholarly spirit who cares about the country and the people, an artistic spirit that moves people with emotion, and a creative spirit that burns life. The Shanghai Film Museum hopes to use this exhibition to commemorate and inherit the spirit of Xie Jin with everyone. At the opening ceremony, Wang Jianer, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Shanghai Film Group, called on all art creators to "create for the people, create for the times, and keep creating. Passion, embrace the gift given to us by the times."
In the tribute to the master unit of this year's Shanghai Film Festival, many classic works of Xie Jin were screened.
Film masters who have stood the test of time
The relationship between Xie Jin and the Shanghai International Film Festival can be described as far-reaching. As early as the 1980s, Xie Jin called on various public occasions: film exchanges between Chinese and foreign countries should be strengthened, and the Shanghai International Film Festival should be held as soon as possible. When the first Shanghai International Film Festival was held in 1993, Xie Jin not only served as the chairman of the jury for the Golden Goblet Awards, but also directed films such as "Sisters on Stage" and "The Old Man and the Dog" in the "Xie Jin Film Festival" of this film festival. featured in the Featured section. In this year's tribute to the master, Xie Jin's "The Bell of Qingliang Temple", "The Opium War", "Big Li Xiao Li and Lao Li" and other films of different styles have returned to the audience's vision, and many of them have also become A popular choice for moviegoers grabbing tickets. At the opening ceremony, Chen Dong, the former deputy director of the Propaganda Department of the Shanghai Municipal Party Committee, said emotionally, "The establishment of the Shanghai Film Festival in 1993 is the benefit of their generation of filmmakers for the benefit of Chinese films." Of course, the film festival will not forget this great film festival. director.
Forum site
According to Xi Meijuan, vice chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and chairman of the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, it is the best for Xie Jin to discuss Xie Jin's status and significance in film history, share Xie Jin's spiritual appeal and personality charm, and provide new inspiration and fate for current film creation. commemoration and tribute.
"He directs films involving so many styles, which is unique in Chinese films. He is a brave man who keeps climbing in film art." Director Shi Xiaohua is the assistant director who has followed Xie Jin for the longest time. What impressed her most is that Xie Jin once said, " Gold cups and silver cups are not as good as the reputation of ordinary people", "This is not only deeply confirmed in his actions, but also proved by time."
"Silent Hill", which won the best film of the Golden Goblet Award at the first Shanghai International Film Festival, was selected by the jury chaired by Xie Jin. Talking about this Bole, Taiwanese director Wang Tong sighed, "His films go to the heart, not to the eyes."
Xie Jin's influence is not limited to the older generation of artists. Director Zheng Dasheng believes that although there was a wave of new thoughts in the film industry at the time, criticizing Xie Jin's old model, looking back over the years, I found that those ebb and flow discussions have turned into droplets , "His works stand like rocks". The Hengtong Star School he founded once discovered movie stars. Director Chen Sicheng recalled the experience of being selected by Xie Jin in Shenyang, and he was still a little flattered. "I really want to take the space-time shuttle back to campus and ask him for advice."
Xie Jin's wife Xu Dawen once said before her death, "Xie Jin will always belong to the motherland and the people". In the ten years since Xie Jin's death, his works have never been out of date. On the Xie Jin Forum, Huang Jianxin talked about his little discovery, "Recently, the Douban score of Xie Jin's films has been rising, and several of them have broken through 9 points. More than 9 points are called "magic films" by young people today, which shows that his The work stayed."
