"I particularly like Tianjin's humor, it's very interesting, and Tianjin dialect is particularly fun. It just so happened that there was such a script this time, and Guo Qilin, a native of Tianjin, was there. It was a great coincidence. Several factors came together, so we made such a light-hearted movie that makes everyone happy and not so bloody." Cao Baoping said.
On August 19th, the film "The Runaway" held its premiere in Tianjin and Beijing, with the theme "Arrived in Tianjin." Director Cao Baoping and starring actors Guo Qilin, Qi Xi, Sun Anke, Gan Yunchen, Liu Yajin, Liu Yang, Yan Bei, Xin Haojiang, and Hu Langquan all appeared after the screening to share the inspiration and highlights of the film's creation. The film will be released nationwide on August 23rd.
movie posters
"The Runaway" is director Cao Baoping's second film in the "The Runaway" series, following "The Runaway" nine years ago. It premiered at the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival in June of this year, winning the Golden Goblet Award for Best Director in the main competition. The film tells the story of Ma Fei (played by Guo Qilin), who, having left his hometown at the turn of the century, returns to Tianjin. After encountering various unpleasant circumstances, he "kidnaps" his nephew, Li Jiawen (played by Hu Langquan), embarking on a journey of "rebellion." As events spiral out of control and escalate, all sorts of absurdities ensue...
Unlike other comedies, this film is set in Tianjin during the millennium. Not only does it showcase a retro neon aesthetic in its imagery, but its narrative also captures the unique character of the era and region. Director Cao Baoping stated at the premiere that it was Tianjin's relaxed, abstract urban atmosphere, a natural contrast to the crime genre, that gave the film its uniquely absurd, abstract style.
Group photo of the main creators
Guo Qilin said that performing in Tianjin dialect this time felt particularly familiar, and that his Tianjin-style uncle-nephew scenes with young actor Hu Langquan were also very interesting. An audience member asked if he could give some advice to children struggling with their families' difficulties. The "Young Master of Deyun" responded without hesitation, "Whether you can make it or not really depends on yourself. Because your legs are on your body, you can always make it."
Stills Guo Qilin plays Ma Fei
Non-Tianjin actors Qi Xi and Sun Anke also engaged in banter with the audience in their Tianjin dialect, drawing laughter. Speaking of the film's depiction of original families, the filmmakers agreed that this continued director Cao Baoping's consistent creative themes, with Ma Fei rebelling against his father and family in an absurd manner.
The industry guests who attended the screening were full of praise and actively shared their experiences. "The rich imagery of this film is very impressive." Director Huang Jianxin said that "The Runaway" has a strong staying power, "It makes people want to think and ponder it even after leaving the theater."
Director Jia Zhangke speaks. (Photo by Wang Zheng, The Paper)
"Mr. Cao, as always, is able to combine and integrate the innovative humanistic style with the highly typified film form, which is not easy." Director Jia Zhangke said that he felt "the era behind the film and the human nature that swayed within that era." "The characters in the film have their own selfish desires but also love each other. The brilliance of humanity is often rekindled when it is almost extinguished. This is particularly impressive."
"Tonight marked my second time watching this film. Actually, 'The Runaway' sparked a lot of discussion during the awards judging, and the reason for that discussion was that it successfully captured everyone's attention and interest," recalled actor Huang Bo, a judge in the main competition section of this year's Shanghai International Film Festival. "The film has a mixture of absurdity and comedy, family ties, romance, and a bizarre plot. Plus, the fact that it was filmed in Tianjin, a port city at the lower reaches of the Jiuhe River, and the actors all spoke the Tianjin dialect, really allowed us to see the limitless creative possibilities of director Cao Baoping. He's become increasingly open-minded in recent years, as if he's just entered his creative 'adolescence'."
