On December 15, "Moonlight Samurai", the first film directed by writer Hong Ying, was released. The film tells the story of a past event that took place in the mountain city of Chongqing from the 1970s to the 1990s.

Dou Xiaoming, a young man who lost his father, lives with his mother who runs a noodle shop. He fell in love with Qin Jiahui, a beautiful nurse who was much older than him. With the turmoil of youthful hormones and hallucinations of the opposite sex as the boy grew up, he kept thinking about her for many years. When a young man discovered that a nurse had been abused by her husband, he vowed to be her "Moonlight Warrior" and stood up again and again, changing the fate of three people.

"Moonlight Samurai" poster

As a female writer who is good at cutting into the turmoil of the times from a female perspective, Hongying uses the simple and fearless guardianship of a young man to connect the broken loves and dreams of women of different generations in the movie. The growth process of an individual carries the imprint of a city's times.

Hong Ying was born in Chongqing in the 1960s and began literary creation in the 1980s. Being an illegitimate daughter allowed her to spend her teenage years intertwined with insecurity and low self-esteem, and influenced her creations over a long period of time. In the early 1990s, Hong Ying moved to the UK and began to write in Chinese overseas. Works such as "The Cry of the Peacock", "Ananda", "The Hungry Daughter", "K" and "The Good Son and Daughter Flower" were published one after another.

The original form of the story of "Moonlight Samurai" was a short story published by Hong Ying many years ago. When she was quarantined at home in the UK during the raging epidemic, she expanded it into a novel with strong nostalgia and adapted it into a movie script.

Hong Ying has a close relationship with movies. Her novels "The King of Shanghai" and "Death in Shanghai" (the original work of "Lanxin Theater" directed by Lou Ye) have been made into movies, and more novels have also been sold. Film and television adaptation rights. Making movies was a fashionable thing for writers many years ago. It was only after the wave receded that Hongying decided to make a story that was closely related to her life.

The following is writer Hong Ying’s autobiography about how she became a director, or, a samurai.

Rainbow shadow. Pictures provided by ELLE magazine

[Readme]

"One person's movie", from script to promotion

About ten years ago, many writers changed their mind to making movies. At that time, I was not prepared and did not have the urge. At that time, a film company bought the copyrights of five of my novels. The boss asked me if I would like to direct them myself. I said "No way".

Seven years ago, I wrote a light comedy with a Roman theme and sold the rights to adapt it, but the director didn’t have time to film it. One day he told me, Hongying, you are familiar with Rome and China, and the script is your own, so you should film it yourself. We can provide half of the money, and you can find the other half yourself. This time, I was tempted.

I am a person who thinks in images, and that’s the case when I write novels. When I was a child, I often followed my half-blind father down the street in the movie. When we got close to the river, he would sit down and listen to the sound of the river and boats. I always sit next to him and keep him company. He listens, I watch, time can pass for a long, long time, and the picture is a long still shot. My father's hearing was very sharp and he could distinguish different models by the sound of waves caused by boats passing by. From then on, I discovered that I was a "fixed focus" person.

Writing another novel will not bring big surprises to me, but I am looking forward to entering the new field of film.

After I decided to make that movie, I taught myself a lot of film-related lessons. I bought and read almost all the movie books available on the market. At that time, there were piles of books about film production at home. But that project still came to nothing after I invested a lot of money and manpower.

Later, I had the opportunity to visit the film crew of my friend Zhang Yibai in my hometown of Chongqing. He said, you should shoot in Chongqing. My addiction was triggered again.

After three years of epidemic, my thoughts on many things have changed. In addition, I have lived for more than half a century, and I cherish the time when my physical condition was good. I feel that while I am in good health, I should give myself more possibilities. For me, making a movie dedicated to the city that made me who I am and that I love has become a must-do at this stage of my life. It seems that if I don’t make this movie, my life will stop. So I jumped in again, no matter the cost.

Being a director is a suffering, a disaster, a nightmare. My husband said that our family’s nightmare began when I started working as a director. It makes people unable to eat and sleep, but it is also full of great temptation. For me, making movies is from "White Moonlight" to "Poppy Flowers", which were once far away and high in the sky. When I got really close to her, I was attracted by her beauty and couldn't help but admit that I couldn't resist the temptation.

I like many movies, and when I had the opportunity to be a director, I also buried many small tributes, such as the singing in "The Ballad of the Drunken Country", such as Quentin's interest in women's feet, such as Yang Dechang's fixed-focus long lenses, such as Wei Wei Anderson's symmetrical composition, as well as the art and colors in "The Shape of Water". I even paid tribute to Hitchcock by making a cameo as a "back figure" that no one recognized at the end of the movie...

Starting from the text, the film's script was revised more than 50 times. The whole process started with a short story, but during the process of revising the script, I found that it was not rich enough. The script is the bones and must be all visualized, while the novel is about the heart. I need to try to analyze the psychology of each character through writing novels. In the process of long-form writing, various people will emerge on their own. This is my consistent experience in writing novels. When all the characters stand up fully, I can let them re-interpret their lives. It can be said that writing a long novel is a way for me to figure out the characters in the way that I am best at and comfortable with.

When it came time to choose actors, I once felt that my options were wide. I know a lot of A-list actors, but I find it difficult to gain trust if they don't have enough money and no experience as a director. Many writers have failed as directors. I can understand everyone's difficulties and concerns, so I later thought I would choose the "right person."

Today, in the film industry, actors are also labeled with various labels. It is much easier to choose based on my own feelings about the characters. Whether it is Zuo Hang, who has his own traffic aura, or Feng Jiamei and Cai Heng, who are not well known to the public, to me, the important thing is not their popularity, they are the most suitable.

The most expensive money for the movie was spent on the scenery, which restored the Chongqing I remembered from my childhood. The streets, shops, and hospitals in the movie, including the green moss on the road, were all paved by ourselves. The price quoted by the professional art team was too high, so I had no choice but to give up. In the end, I came up with many of the design plans myself, and hired an old artist from Beijing Film Studio to help me with the decoration team who had worked on movies. Most of the costumes were borrowed from the film and television bases in Chongqing and Chengdu. I personally selected several of the main costume designs in the movie, including the fabrics.

When making a movie, I will encounter all kinds of people and things, including those who are scheming, taking advantage, and deducting funds. So I was worried and became a "cashier" again. I brought an accountant with me, and I handled all the expenses myself. Computer operation.

During the entire process of making movies, I experienced many scary moments. The scariest thing later was that before my movie was released, many people told me that your movie was about to be taken off the shelves.

A friend said, Hongying, your movie must be a one-day trip to the theater. So I set a goal for myself, I want to survive in the cinema for two days, and I will be satisfied with one more day.

My requirements are so low and humble. I just want to see what the current situation of Chinese films is. I am not from this industry, although almost every one of my novels has been approached for filmmaking. When I entered this industry with the attitude of a newborn calf who is not afraid of tigers, I encountered many things that I couldn't figure out. Others told me that these were the rules, but I felt that these rules were unreasonable. It ranges from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, corresponding to different levels of film arrangement; for example, spending money to buy your own pre-sales, making data to create topics, some friends spent millions on publicity, and finally nothing happened because there was no space for film arrangement. For the money spent, I only got a few short videos.

In order to distribute this film, I met with more than 40 publicity and distribution teams, and had successive contacts with distribution companies ranging from first-tier major studios to niche films. They were all willing to distribute my stuff, and some were willing to advance funds. Yes, but I don’t want to let anyone else take the lead in this movie. I feel that I am single-handedly challenging this publicity and distribution system. Now all Chinese films must be distributed according to this model. I am naturally rebellious, but I don't want to.

If I were given another chance, I would not make a movie in this way again. It was really too painful. Put your whole life into it, and you will get scolded by many people. But this time, I walked all the way to the dark side to see if the movie "Naked Hair" could survive two days in the theater on its own.

Hong Ying at the premiere of "Moonlight Samurai".

Start over and become your own warrior

When I was a child, I was often bullied because of family reasons. For a long time, I was good at being patient, knowing that fighting back would only lead to worse bullying. My "counterattack" happened silently in my heart.

"Moonlight Samurai" is my girly feeling. I once wished that someone could save me, and I also hoped that I could be like a knight to rescue other children who were bullied. So I imagined the existence of such a samurai image in my work, who would act chivalrously and righteously when the road is rough.

This state lasted until I was 18 years old. I suddenly felt that I didn't need protection, and I didn't want to care about anyone anymore. I turned against the world, full of anger and resentment. At that time, I just wanted to protect myself, so I chose to leave.

But when I went to England, my view of my hometown completely changed. I once said that I would go far away and never come back to this place in my life. But when you are in a foreign land, it is difficult to change your local accent. In your dreams, you will always return to the bluestone road surrounded by smoke on the streets of your childhood.

When shooting a movie, walking through the mist, I am more certain that it is connected to every cell of your life. When you slowly get to know a city, you also get to know yourself again. And those who have hurt you will be relieved and forgiven in time.

I have been to so many places and found that my heart, my stomach, and my emotions are all rooted here. If it was once a "poppy flower", now it has become a "white moonlight", with a feeling of illumination and a lot of love overflowing unconsciously.

If I was asked to write "The Hungry Daughter" (an autobiographical novel published by Hongying in 1997) now, it would be a completely different work. Fate is really strange. It will let you write a certain kind of book at a certain period of time. I could not write "Moonlight Samurai" in the past, and now I can no longer write the "hungry" I had in the past. "Hungry Daughter" only accommodates my personal growth as a girl, while "Moonlight Warrior" is a more inclusive and calm story about Chongqing, using a greater love to outline a portrait of the city.

Just like what Qin Jiahui told Dou Xiaoming in the end, she can become her own warrior. This is what I have experienced in my own life.

Every time I come to Chongqing, I like to come see Jiang. I found that the river flows with people's destiny. When you are weak, you will feel drifting and helpless when you look at the river. When you become strong, you will feel that the rushing river is so powerful, as if there is no Nothing can be done.

After becoming a mother, I gained a new perspective on the world. The process of growing up with a young and pure life allowed me to re-establish trust in the world. I had a feeling that I could "start over." In my childhood, I doubted everything and wanted to destroy everything. I was a desperate and angry daughter. Now, I am a particularly tolerant mother.

"Moonlight Samurai" behind-the-scenes photos

Pure love and long-lasting love are also pioneers today

The little red warrior met a little girl who had lost hope in life. He took her to see a sea of flowers, and the little girl rekindled her enthusiasm and hope for life. This clue is hidden in the movie. It is not just a fairy tale. There are many things that can be explored, both about the city and the lives of the people in it. The pain of history is hidden behind the innocent story. In addition to the protection between the male and female protagonists and between their families, several hidden clues are also closely related to the theme.

The relationship between Qin Jiahui and Brother Gang seems twisted and incomprehensible now, but under the special background of the times, without Brother Gang, their family would not be able to survive. Brother Gang was once her earliest "Moonlight Samurai". And on the eve of departure, the pair of shoes that Wuyan Qin's father gave to Dou's mother contained thousands of words. They were also each other's warriors, guarding each other for a long time, facing history and injustice, and swallowing their grievances. , not surprised by favor or disgrace.

The first shot of the movie is the eyes of the lead actor Zuo Hang. I chose this pair of eyes to see this city and the women living in it. Some are long-lasting and tenacious, some tolerate sadness, some are vigorous and energetic, some are emotional and independent, some are very traditional, and some are full of modernity. Although it is told from a male perspective, it is still about women.

I know that in today's era, pure love has become something that seems a bit shameful. Young people don't fall in love at all, and they don't want to get married and have children. Men and women use each other, and they are full of calculations and exchanges of interests. Like in the movie, the emotion that spans more than 20 years and is willing to spend a lifetime waiting seems impossible to exist today. This is reality, but if this is the case, the world has reached a particularly dangerous time. If someone can wake up and like this kind of movie, will it be like a "long season"? You can look back and think about it, we have all come through that.

Literature and movies actually have the same function. They should arouse people's inner potential yearning for beautiful things and let you imagine those impossible existences that are higher than reality.

Some people say that I used to be a pioneer. If you had talked about this with me 20 years ago, I would have laughed at myself, but now I think it is too timely. Innocence and long-lasting love are also a kind of "pioneer" today.