stayThe National Film Development Authority of Malaysia“Section32nd Malaysia Film Festival”inwon qualification for a competition11 award winning "Hero's Holiday",finalSweep horizontally7 awards to become a big winner,And the director of this filmLi Yongchang,moreyesWinning Best Director and Best Original Story for the First Time2 prizes,

In terms of domestic box office,Li YongchangHe is the most successful screenwriter in Malaysian history, and his works include "Good Day Every Day" and "Crazy Mom"2.0. One of the best Malaysian films, "With You All the Way," has achieved the highest box office in the history of Malaysian Chinese cinema.. With "Crazy Mom 2.0",Li YongchangAlso awarded"Best Screenplay" at the 2013 Malaysia Golden Kite Awards.

In the film industry, Li Yongchang has another identity——Director. He is known as the "King of Ghosts" and his thriller films "Super Crossing", "Night Watch", "Grievance 2", and "Twin Souls" have both received good reviews and box office success.

In addition to achieving impressive results in the film industry,Li YongchangFor decades, he has also been active in the theater industry and has won the Malaysia Outstanding Youth Award, the Global Chinese Culture and Art Award, and the Best Original Screenplay Award for five consecutive years.

In this issue of Ningdian Interview, we have intervieweddirectorLi Yongchang,Accompanied by his artistic experience, let's experience the film art in his mind together.

Most Chinese movie fans have seen your works and know your name, but they rarely see reports on your personal experiences in China. How did you get to know movies and become a director?

I am studying film and drama in Malaysia. When I first graduated, I happened to encounter the Asian financial crisis that year. At that time,The economy is in a slump, and Malaysia's film and television industry is almost overnight,Almost disappeared.

I was originally planning to gofilm and televisionWhere do we know about the direction of developmentgraduation,catch up withfilm and televisionCompanies are struggling to operate one after another. meyesMajoring in movies,deputyStudying Drama、Drama,thereforeI returned to the Chinese theater in Malaysia,stayChinese communityEngaged inDrama, serving as a screenwriter、Directors, even acting mentors,I've been working hard for almost some time nowAbout 10 years.

meDiscovering that in factoneselfMy heart is stillLonging forMovies, but back then in Malaysia,Basically, there's no such thing asChineseCommercial films, some of which are just independent artfilm, nostaycinemaRelease.

Coincidentally,At that timeI encounteredA young director named ZhouQingyuan,It's just thatThe director who filmed "The Great Dad" in China in 2021.herightI said:“Are you interested,To explore a new direction for Malaysian cinema, we want to create a cinema based film.”

meI alsothinkThisChange runwayNow,butAfter all, I have already moved away from moviesFor over 10 years,Therefore, let's start withScreenwriterstart doingCollaborated with himoneyearthreeA movie by.It was Malaysia that set several records at that time,《Big Day》《Great Day》《All the way with you》.

Are you asking me how I became a director, after all, I myself am alsomajor inDirector, I always hope to return to the path of being a director, so I am working as a screenwriter,I've written almost10 moviesAfterwards, I willSomeoneformalFind me as a director, IalsoJust opened me upMy ownfilmThe path of filming.

《Big Day》《Great Day》The works waiting for you as a screenwriter are full ofWarm heartedfeature film,However, as a director, you are referred to as"Ghost King", why did you choose the theme of thrillers?

When I was still a screenwriter,Just helping different directors write scripts with different themes and types.I think Malaysian Chinese films must be diverse and not solely rely on one type of film for development,This isAn unhealthy onestate.

So at that time,Me and ZhouQingyuanThe director's approach is more local and distinctivePlotIs it a different type of comedy film from other directorsWhat other types of movies.meDiscovering thrillersMaybe not many people are filming, justHaving oneselfThe director who makes this kind of filmThe decision of.

Another point,It's just thatThe proportion of Chinese in Malaysia is not too high, probably onlyJust 22%. meOne is pondering,What kind of work can make bothChinese audiencelove,Malaysians can also accept it. fromFor commercial considerations, in Malaysia, besides Hollywood movies、Hong Kong action moviesBesides, Southeast Asia'sThrillers are quite popular,Especially in ThailandThriller film.

So I decided toTake a patA thriller, finallyUnexpectedly,meSuddenlyI have filmed many filmsThriller filmIs called“Ghost King”.

In fact, I have been exploring the diversity of film expression, and I don't want to film horror just for the sake of it.I hope to use movies to record what is happening on this land, orTell through a movieSome of the things in this era,What I see、What is heard,And some of the stories I feel about it.

filmIt's aA great recording medium,Even if time passes by a hundred years,OurdescendantsalsoIt can be seen that.I thinkholdSome local horror stories or so-calledSupernaturalThe incident was recorded in a movie, which was quite good.

So far,Probably filmed it9 movies,Thriller filmIt really accounts for a large part.But even if we shootI don't even like thrillersWant toStepping in place,Although it's a thriller, I also hope to tell stories about culture, so thatAudience in China、Malaysian audiences, and even other countriesofAudience TogetherexplorationMalaysiaofmysteriousone side.

As a screenwriter,Created a lotWarm heartedAs a director, I also shoot a lot of worksA thriller film,How can one grasp such a good creative perspective with such a large contrast?

I feel that,Making movies is a rather lonely and lonely industry, and the greatest satisfaction comes from it,When your work comes out, you can have a connection with the audienceEmpathy and resonanceAt a crossroads, I feel that this is for meIt's about making moviesMaximum power.

Movies are art, but they are also a commercial product in themselves,Creator needsStrike a balance between artistic value and its commercial value.My Creationdomethod,No matter what type of film you make, always put people first.

I understand my own traits, I am quite sensitive in life, and I am also quite emotionalexquisiteSo IfollowSurrounding peopleRelated toCommunication between people, emotional exchangeMore,And turn my feelings into words.

“Empathy and resonance”YesmeWritten inThe whiteboard in the officeof4 words,When shooting a movie, I don't deliberately grasp the creative perspective, but all my energy is focused on thinking about how to get the audienceResonance ofThis direction.

Director and screenwriterIt seems very similar,All work revolves around the creation of works,But in realityshouldIt's two completely different jobs,Request to useDifferent perspectives on thinking,wantHaving different job skills,What do you think?Which do you prefer, screenwriter or director?

indeed,Director and screenwriterIt's two completely different jobs.I have been working for a long timeofdramaCreative career,Let me understand the connection between the plot direction and audience feedback, and I also understandScreenwriter's words turn into imagesWhat needs to be doneThe means,thereforeAlways accustomed tosinceCompilationsinceguide.

But I have neverallCompletely isolate these two identities. In the past, I felt like I was a screenwriter myself,It's just thatIn order for me to become a director,Easy to controlfilm, even relatively easy to shoot, not so hard,Actually, this isA way to be lazy, come outWorks ofIt's really a bit disappointing.

Later, an old senior told me that when you were a screenwriter, you had to completely detach yourself from your identity as a director, in your world,Don'tRestrict one's creativity,No needConsider the endHow was it filmed,The more kind you are to the director,The more it isHarmed him.

So every time I doScreenwriterScript, no need for itThink about itHow to take photos.It's up to me.Replace withDirector's perspectiveTime,WillTry every means possible,How to makePlotThe completion rate is relatively high,Two bodiesLove and kill each other,abilityPush yourself upTake it to a higher level.

I think movies have always allowed me to experiencemoreBroad, experience more, experience different lives every day.Previously, a Chinese movie called "All for One"There is a saying inside that people always have two hearts,One is greedyOne is unwilling, IJustI am unwilling to accept itMy ownThere is only one way in life.

So I want to have some different lives, if it's just being a screenwriter, IWork forMaybe it's just in the early stages. As a director, in the early, middle, and later stages, I almostAll canexperience,To differentShooting location, seeing different lives.

When I was directing the show, almost the whole thingEveryone knowsProject into that character or story,When I go through each character, it feels like I'm experiencing a new life

So I think,At presentI still want to continue directing.

Your work won many awards at last year's Malaysia Film Festival. I feel your original intention from these works and did not create for the sake of winning awards. What attitude do you think should be taken when creating?

I never thought I could win a prize in Malaysiafilm marketWinning Best Director and being shortlisted at the same timeoneoneNominations, received7 awards, for me it's an additional gain,Because that play didn't have a very macro theme, I justI want toUse it to record my childhood stories.

Later, the jury shared their appreciation with meReasons for winning awardsBecause they saw it in the movie,haveFor this landLove.meI never thought about shooting a film myselfA masterpiece that has made one famous all over the world,mejustthinkoneselfIt's a relatively lucky onePeople,I can use movies to record my life, and I will come back in a few yearsseeWhen creating one's own work,Can experience the heart againChanges in roads,Remembering the beautiful times of the past.

For example, my one《Big hands holding small hands》,It's just thatadoptRecord meRelated toSome stories about mothers, let everyoneconsciousnessreach,Originally, weLife'sthissliceThe land used to have such beautiful things, but in fact, love is true, good, and beautifulThat's the theme that movies should express.

furthermoremealwaysthink,I canGet theseprize,The main reason is not becausefilmThe photos are particularly good, even better than others,But rather,Coincidentally, this society currently needs thisA warm and heartwarming story that everyone remembers,Once belonged to this landoffinething.

If the purpose of creationHaving too much sex,So in the endstoryinThere will be many, manyElement integrationPeople will be greedy, and once greedy, this story will shatter.

Do you thinkLiving inSoutheast Asia regionPeople who are interested incultureofunderstanding,Is there a significant difference? Tourism in Southeast Asia nowMarket comparisonDismal,Urgent needofJustIt's about cultural exchange, moviesArt inThe effectiveness of several communication methodswhat?

Just like the United StatesuseHollywood's film export values, the value of filmcultureThe output ability is still very strong,The dissemination effect is very strong, and can even influence the views of the majority of the audience.You see, it's likeAll in one goIt is indeed beneficial for Southeast Asian countriesBringingAn impact, I just returned from Thailand a few days ago,noticeChinaTourists do indeedIt's much less.

meI have always hoped thatmeusefilmtelleverybody,eachblockland、Each space、Every world,Everyone has its beauty worth appreciating.In Southeast Asia, it can be said thatHundreds of years ago, we were all the sameancestorWe are brothers and sisters.Movies are the most perfect, allowing us to share with each otherDifferent lifestyles and culturesArtistic means.

Throughout Southeast Asia, of the same lineage and ethnicity, love、Family ties and basic values are actually very close in the entire Chinese speaking region.thereforeSo far,I don't have a positioning either, I only make movies of what kind. I am really being a sharer of life.

However,filmIn the end, it's onlyIt is a means of communication,Not suitableGo talk about itwhatThe big truth,We should pursue oneWhen shooting, I personally prefer to share a little more about truth, goodness, and beauty.

In my movie,Even if it's a thriller, I don't mean toTo set off terror,And to specifically describe terrorofhuman nature.ThailandThrillingThe movie is different, including some thrillers from Taiwan,Those moviesIt looks very nice, but after watching it, there is still a chilling feeling. I hopeIn my own filmIt can be seen that it is a truly moving one,Emotional characters.

Movies are a medium and channel for people to understand the world. At presentIn the context of the "the Belt and Road" initiative, film, as a means of exchange with both economic and cultural attributes in international relations, plays a prominent role in cross-cultural communication.I believe that strengthening film exchange in Southeast Asia can greatly enhance people's confidence in a better future and promote positive exchanges among the people.