On April 25, the May Day movie "Dumpling Queen" held its premiere in Beijing. Producer and director Liu Weiqiang, producer Luo Xiaowen, leading actors Ma Li, Kara Hui, Zhu Yawen, Yuan Fuhua and others all appeared. The film will be released nationwide on April 30.
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"The Dumpling Queen" is adapted from the true experience of Zang Jianhe (1945-2019), the founder of Wan Chai Pier. In the late 1970s, Miss Zang (played by Ma Li) from Qingdao, Shandong, with her two young daughters, was forced to stay in Hong Kong on her way to find her relatives. In order to survive, she started selling dumplings at Wan Chai Pier, using her own hands to smooth the road ahead and rewrite her life.
At the premiere, producer Luo Xiaowen said that Ma Li looks very similar to Zang Jianhe. "We chose the roles of Huang Chutong, who plays Zang's younger sister, and Wang Jiayi, who plays Zang's youngest daughter Peng Peng (adult), based on photos of the original characters."
Director Andrew Lau said, "How could this be possible without Li Jie? I'm lucky she could help me make this movie."
The film's producer and director Andrew Lau spoke at the premiere. Photo: Wang Zheng
Liu Weiqiang recalled that he cried when filming the scene where Miss Zang wielded a knife to protect her daughter. "When I was a child, I lived in Yuen Long, New Territories. Once, my mother protected me and my brother in this way. This movie reflects a lot of my feelings for my mother."
Ma Li, who was previously known to the audience for her comedy roles, starred in a legendary female movie for the first time and played the leading female role. "Auntie Zang and I are all women with self-esteem, strong, independent and capable, and we are both optimistic, like the 'invincible cockroaches' in life. If I have the chance, I really want to hug her and say thank you for your hard work." Ma Li said in her speech that she was deeply moved by the charm of the prototype character after reading the script for the first time, and she was determined to play this role well, and she did not hesitate to gain weight to get closer to the character image.
Lead actress Ma Li speaks. Photo: Wang Zheng
"In fact, I was a very unconfident child when I was young. After my parents divorced, there were many unfriendly voices towards me in the class, and gradually I became very inferior. After coming to Beijing to start a business for many years, I can say that I also encountered a lot of setbacks, but just like Aunt Zang, there were many noble people who helped me in this process... Life is like this, because I have been caught in the rain and been injured, now I have the ability, and I will also hold an umbrella for others." Ma Li said.
Kara Hui, who plays the landlady of a boarding house in the film, said that she grew up in the Wan Chai community and had visited Ms. Zang Jianhe's dumpling stall many times when she was young. "This is a story that I have participated in my life."
Movie Stills
In real life, Zang Jianhe never remarried after an unhappy marriage. In the movie, Zang and Hua Ge, played by Zhu Yawen, also had an unrequited love affair. Zhu Yawen said, "One-sided devotion may hold someone back, but loving attention will help her achieve great success. This time, many veteran Hong Kong actors participated in the project. I was acting and watching the show on the set, and I was always touched during the whole creative process. The director invested too much of his emotions for that era, and we shot this film with love."
Ma Li's mother also made a surprise appearance after the screening, which was the most touching scene of the premiere. She presented a plate of dumplings stuffed with pork and sauerkraut that she had made by hand to all the main creators, and specially arranged the plate in the shape of "barley" to symbolize "big box office sales."
Ma Li's mother brought dumplings. Visual China Photo
Ma Li was overwhelmed with emotion when she saw him. "After so many years in the film industry and making so many movies, this is the first time my mom has come to my premiere. This is a movie dedicated to all the mothers in the world. I love you, mom."
