When director Chen Kaige told some details about Leslie Cheung, he couldn't help crying. Leslie Cheung's performance as Cheng Dieyi was very touching. I hope you can read this article patiently, feel Chen Kaige's excellent narrative ability, feel the story between Leslie Cheung and Cheng Dieyi, and feel the charm of the movie Farewell My Concubine on and off the screen.
The Origin of Farewell My Concubine
The origin of Farewell My Concubine began with a female producer, Ms. Feng Hsu, who lives in Hong Kong. Ms Feng Hsu later became a very successful actress and co-produced many classic films with director Hu Jinquan, the most famous of which was Woman. In 1970s, Feng Hsu participated in the Cannes Film Festival competition with director Hu Jinquan, which was the only technical award of China films at that time. Since then, Ms. Feng Hsu has a soft spot for Cannes Film Festival and often goes there.
(Feng Hsu on the screen)
It was on 1988 that I met her when I took the movie "king of the children" to the competition. At that time, cross-strait relations had not developed as they did later. After we met, we were very nervous when we talked about a place, which shows that time can change many things.
When King of Children premiered in Cannes, she also came. After the film was shown, everyone said hello in a hurry and left. The next day, she came to me and said, "You are a good marksman, but I think you can shoot better." She said I had a book here. Do you want to make it into a movie? I really didn't take it seriously at that time, because it is normal for a producer to give a book to a director. This book is Farewell My Concubine. I said, "thank you for your kindness, but I have other films to shoot." She said, "I can wait for you."
This kind of waiting lasted for two years, until we went to the Cannes Film Festival to participate in the competition after the completion of "Walking and Singing", and that was when it was decided. As the saying goes, if you are sincere, the stone will open. Ms Feng Hsu is the first initiator and the first protagonist of Farewell My Concubine. She always told me that after Woman Xia, she had a wish. She really wants to take another film to Cannes and win a bigger prize.
As a result, her long-cherished wish came true. Two years later, 1993, the film won the Palme d 'Or in Cannes, which is well known. So far, I think Ms. Feng Hsu is a producer with a unique vision.
Speaking of which, Ms. Li Bihua is actually the mother of Farewell My Concubine. She provided a very good foundation for shooting. It was she who laid the foundation for this film.