‘Venice premiere like a new life’

Hui wins lifetime achievement award

VENICE, Italy, Sept 10, (AP): Restricted travel, quarantine and positive COVID-19 tests meant that Majid Majidi’s appearance at the Venice Film Festival for Iranian drama “Sun Children” (Khorshid) was an achievement in itself.

The film follows the story of Ali and his three friends on the streets of Tehran, as they try to find hidden treasure, digging a tunnel underneath a local charity school for street kids and child laborers.

“It was difficult to come here,” the director told Associated Press on Monday. “This was a whole new experience, like a new life.”

For 14-year-old lead Rouhollah Zamanisaghselou, in his first ever acting role, the coronavirus put a stop to his moment in the spotlight, after he tested positive and was unable to travel to Italy as planned.

“I told him when he was working hard digging in that tunnel that this film will become famous in the world and you will forget the pains. Then (when he tested positive for the virus) he told me: ‘Mr. Majidi what should I do?’ I was left behind with the pain.”

Zamanisaghselou and many of the cast members were child laborers themselves when they were interviewed for the movie. Majidi explains that the casting process was extremely difficult but rich with talent.

“I actually interviewed two to three thousand kids and there was a lot of intelligence and potential kids in those groups,” he said, adding that their backgrounds meant they had a lot of depth.

“Because of the tough times they have been through, they are much more receptive and kind of older than their age and that’s why they learn faster and better,” Majidi said. “This was a huge encouragement and inspiration for them to become artists and actors, they couldn’t even dream of such a thing before. This made them focus very closely and know that this is a very important moment.”

Zamanisaghselou’s Afghan co-star Shamila Shirzad, who has worked in Tehran since the age of 5, did make it to the festival and onto the red carpet Sunday. Majidi thinks that although she will have more hardship ahead, this is a great experience for her to “rediscover life and know that she can succeed if she studies and works hard.

“She has had very difficult experiences in her life” he said. “But this kid fought back despite all those difficulties.”

Message

“Now that she is here I can see how well she sees everything, and she knows that this is just temporary, and I see the worry in her eyes that she has to go back to her previous life, of course she is in a better situation now, with the help of some NGO she can focus on studying only, and doesn’t have to work anymore.”

And this is really the message of the movie. “I beg all people is to help the children discover their real treasures and build themselves and the society,” Majidi said, who has noted there are an estimated 152 million children working to support their families.

“International organizations are waging a desperate fight to support these young people who are subjected to abuse and deprived of their human right to education. ‘Sun Children’ demonstrates the abilities and humanity of these children,’” Majid wrote in his director’s statment.

“Sun Children” is one of 18 films competing for the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival.

Hong Kong director Ann Hui paid tribute to her home city as she received a lifetime achievement award from the Venice International Film Festival.

The acclaimed director said she wanted to “revert this honor back to Hong Kong,” the city where she grew up.

“It has given me an education and a scholarship to study in London. It has given me my life experiences. And my chances to work and find fulfillment. I treasure even my sufferings there and all those crazy cool people. And now I will go home and try to help the younger filmmakers so that they will also get life achievement prizes in the future,” she said at a news conference.

Hui’s impact on the Hong Kong film industry and Asian cinema is second to none.

The 73-year-old director has had a career spanning five decades which officially started in 1979 when she released her debut feature film “The Secret.” The movie quickly elevated her to join the key figures in Hong Kong cinema including Tsui Hark, John Woo and Patrick Tam, among others.

She has worked with major Asian film stars including Maggie Cheung (“Song of the Exile”), Tang Wei (“The Golden Era”) and Chow Yunfat (“Love in a Fallen City”) and produced nearly 30 films.

Hui’s films have been screened at major international film festivals including Cannes, Berlin and Venice. She’s a five-time winner of Best Director at the Hong Kong Film Awards.

Jury President Cate Blanchett presented the award Tuesday to Hui, who finished her acceptance speech with a rousing “Long live cinema!”

Hui is also at this year’s festival with her new film “Love After Love.”

An adaptation of Eileen Chang ( Zhang Ailing)’ s first published short story, the film tells the story of a young girl from Shanghai who travels to Hong Kong for her education.

To finance her studies, she starts working for her aunt, who she soon finds out earns money luring rich and powerful men.

It’s showing out of competition.