Kar-wai confident in ‘Jinpa’ despite rivals
BEIJING: Award-winning director Wong Kar-wai is confident in the bankability of Jinpa despite the strength of its current box office rivals, including Avengers: Endgame.
The Tibetan film will move ahead with its release in late April against stiff competition.
Wong, who produced the flick, said domestic filmmakers should not be intimidated by commercial blockbusters.
Jinpa, by Tibetan director Pema Tseden, had won best screenplay in the Orizzonti ( Horizons) programme of the 75th Venice International Film Festival last September.
Originally, it was slated to launch in China on Apr 26. On Apr 19, distributor Huaxia Film Distribution issued a notice that the film would be released on a limited scope only in cinemas under the National Alliance of Arthouse Cinemas.
The group was formed in 2016 and operated by the China Film Archive and a consortium of cinemas chains supporting art films.
However, Wong, who had executive produced Jinpa, insisted that the release date would not be changed, even though most cinemas will be screening Avengers: Endgame.
During the premiere in Beijing on Monday, he expressed confidence in Jinpa’s box office potential.
“It is valuable, so the release date is no problem,” Wong stated. “The success of the Avengers 4 is the success of American movies. But our success depends on the success of our own home-made films. We never say something like when you go to watch Jinpa you can’t watch Avengers 4, or vice versa. We stay in this film screening season because we believe our audience have sharp eyes to appreciate this film.”
Jinpa was written and directed by Pema Tseden, who put together two short stories — one is The Killer by Tibetan writer Tsering Norbu, and the other is Pema Tseden’s own short story I Ran Over a Sheep.
Set in the Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve, with an average elevation of about 5,000 metres, the film tells the metaphorical and dreamlike story of a Tibetan trucker named Jinpa, who accidentally hits a sheep with his vehicle.
He then picks up a hitchhiker of the same name, who happens to be on his way to avenge the death of his father.
The director said at the premiere that his film is built on the Tibetan Buddhist philosophy of mercy.
Sun Xianghui, director of the China Film Archive and head of national art house cinema chain, said the consortium of conemas will keep a lifeline open for Jinpa while Avengers: Endgame sweeps through cinemas.
In China, Avengers: Endgame had opened with takings of US$ 90 million ( RM378 million). On the other hand, Jinpa had pre- sales of 678,000 yuan (about RM423,000).
Regarding the release to the National Alliance of Arthouse Cinemas, Wong reckoned, “From an industry perspective, it is not easy to have a chain for art house films. If we quit the release, we are giving up on ourselves.”
He also encouraged art house filmmakers: “When you take up 0.1 per cent of the space, that means you have 99.9 per cent more to progress. As long as you can carefully make good films, a dire situation can certainly be improved.
“Supporting the screening of domestically-produced, excellent art house films is an important duty and mission of the National Alliance of Arthouse Cinemas and the participating cinemas,” Sun said.
“The growth of Chinese art films needs all aspects of cultivation and support. I hope that all participating theatres can treat Chinese art house films as equal to foreign art house films.”
We never say something like when you go to watch ‘Jinpa’ you can’t watch ‘Avengers 4’, or vice versa. We stay in this film screening season because we believe our audience have sharp eyes to appreciate this film. Wong Kar-wai, executive producer of ‘Jinpa’