Escapism from a ‘vulgar’ filmmaker

The director of the disaster epic

the Chinese mainland’s submission for the 2014 Academy Awards, is returning to comedy, the genre in which he made his name. Feng Xiaogang’s new film

revolves around a company that grants wishes to people who want to escape their current life for a single day.

The film is a typical “Feng comedy”, featuring intense conversations in Beijing dialect written by renowned scriptwriter Wang Shuo, and an ensemble cast, including veteran Ge You, and an emotional ending.

Feng says filming was fun and relaxed, and if he were a character in the film, he would struggle to think of a wish he needed fulfilled.

“I have realized all my dreams, someeven before I planned to,” he says. “If I were granted a wish by the company, I would have nothing to ask from them. My dream now is to help others realize their dreams.”

For many years the 55-yearold’s dream was making

a film about the famine of 1942 that killed 3 million people in China. He had been obsessed with making the film for decades because he believes it is a story that can help people reflect on the dark side of humanity and better cherish what they have.

Having fulfilled that dream, he says he wants to share more laughter than tears.

“is like a New Year gift for the audience, who also need some time away from their ordinary lives, just like the characters do.”

Feng even manages to poke fun at himself in

One of the characters who is seeking escape is a film director, who enjoys great success at the box office but is desperate to become a respected art-house filmmaker. Among the numerous trophies the fictional director has won is the Academy Award for the Most Vulgar Foreign Language Film.

“Vulgar” is a word critics have used when describing Feng’s films, but is the second of his works to be chosen as the mainland’s entry for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. The first one was in 2010.

After breaking into the Chinese film scene in 1997 with urban comedy Feng has been the best-received filmmaker at the domestic box office. In the decade since his debut, each film he has made become the highestgrossing movie of that year, with only a few exceptions, such as in 2004 when Stephen Chow made

and in 2006when Zhang Yimou made

In the 1990s it became something of a tradition to watch a Feng Xiaogang film about the lives of the most ordinary urbanites in contemporary China at the end of the lunar year — as popular as eating dumplings and setting off firecrackers.

He has battled criticism that he is not a serious artist, but his box office sales prove he has many fans.

“Something I am very proud of is that for decades Chinese audiences have lovedmy films and the box office has proven that,” he says.

“Do not underestimate our audience’s discretion. If what they like is vulgar, I suggest that the academy set up an award for the most vulgar foreign language film, and if they gave me that award I would be happy to take it.”