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Date Posted: 19:03:32 08/29/03 Fri
Tea for Two ¡K or Three? - (August 2003 www.thatsmagazines.com)
Tasseography on the silver screen in Zhang Yuan´s current release
Dixie Ching
The last time Zhang Yuan and Zhao Wei worked together, the former was a
little-known underground film director and the latter an unknown actress trying
to establish a name for herself.
My, how things have changed. Since their first collaboration in 1996´s
East Palace, West Palace, Zhang has emerged from the fringe film festival
circuit to become a mainstream media darling, attracting big budgets and A-list
casts. Over that same period, Zhao has become one of the most recognizable
female faces in China through her role as the peasant princess Xiao Yanzi
(Little Swallow) in the hit TV series Huanzhu Gege (Princess Huanzhu).
Actress and director met again last year, and the result is Green Tea, which
comes hot on the heels of Zhang´s 2002 features Wo ai ni (I Love You) and
Jiang jie (Sister Jiang). "To tell you the truth, I was
surprised by all the talented people who came together for this film," says
Zhao, who was cast alongside Jiang Wen, whose own star power has cemented his
position as China's top male actor and earned him a seat on the jury of the last
Cannes Film Festival. Rounding out the all-star talent field is China´s
most recognizable cinematographer, Australian Christopher Doyle.
In Green Tea, Jiang plays a man who falls in love with two very different women,
one intellectual and serious, the other a mysterious tease. Zhao plays both
characters. "They´re challenging roles," says Zhang. "[Zhao]
has made great progress compared to our last collaboration. Her acting skills
have clearly matured."
Green Tea´s plot was inspired by a novel called Adeline by the Water by
Jin Renshun. "Adeline was recommended to me by a friend," says Zhang.
"The love story was so unique and interesting that I decided to make it
into a relaxing, romantic film." Many of the locations for the movie were
shot in various Sanlitun area bars such as The Loft and in artist Fang Lijun´s
popular Yunnan eatery South Silk Road.
Although Zhao has yet to see the final version of the film, which was produced
for a reported RMB 10 million, she knows that the audience is in for a unique
experience. "The visual effects and cinematic language is quite different,
more like a music video than a film. I hope people will like it."
Green Tea screens in Mandarin in theatres across town August 22-28.
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