Q and A: Zhao Dayong
After graduating from China’s Lu Xun Art Academy in 1992, Zhao worked for a number of years as a professional artist and advertising director. Zhao began exploring the medium of digital video in 2002. His first documentary, Street Life, premiered at Austria’s Viennale in 2006. His second, Ghost Town, premiered to critical praise at the 2009 New York Film Festival. The High Life is Zhao’s first narrative feature film. It won both the FIPRESCI Prize and the Silver Digital Award at the 2010 Hong Kong International Film Festival.
1. Pitch your film in 30 words or less.
The High Life is about the frustrated search for love, purpose, and fulfillment in a society where culture and belief have become desolate and pleasure has been elevated to the sublime.
2. Describe the best or worst day of shooting.
We were able to wrap up filming within a couple of weeks. No major trials or setbacks come to mind. But one of the biggest strokes of luck came as we were scouting out locations for the prison scenes. We were actually able to find a working jail with a vacant floor, and they were willing to let us do our shooting there. That saved us a lot of time and gave an added touch of authenticity to those scenes.
3. What other festivals have you shown the film at?
The film premiered at the Hong Kong International Film Festival earlier this year. Hong Kong was important to us because we really wanted the film seen by a Chinese audience. The film is not officially approved, so we can't show it in major screenings inside China. However, we did show the film in mid-September at a special screening in Beijing, and there will be another this month, so we are finding opportunities to show it to Chinese film buffs and other Chinese filmmakers.
4. What’s the strangest question you have been asked about your film?
How about this question? Honestly, many of the questions I've been asked are about Dian Qiu, the policeman and amateur poet who figures so strongly in the film. Audiences have found Dian Qiu to be a completely fascinating and original character. They ask how this character was inspired. In fact, Dian Qiu is Shen Shaoqiu, who is a real policeman and an honest-to-goodness underground poet. So Shen inspired his own character. But he is also a very accomplished actor, as I think anyone who sees the film will agree.
5. What movies are you hoping to catch at VIFF?
Unfortunately, I was not invited to attend VIFF, so I'll have to watch things from afar. I do hope The High Life is thoroughly enjoyed by audiences in Vancouver.
The 29th Vancouver International Film Festival runs from September 30 to October 15.
