The sudden outbreak of the coronavirus in early 2020 had brought the film industry to a halt for over half a year. Hong Kong director Tony Chan, better known as Chen Guohui, had to cancel the plan to shoot his film in Mexico scheduled in February. However, that's not his biggest concern.
"What worries me the most is the huge number of ordinary staff in the film industry. They don't earn much. I do hope I can do something to help them. I'm lucky as I can write stories during the pandemic. But for those ordinary people, they have no work to do," Chen said during an interview with CGTN at the 10th Beijing International Film Festival.
"I do want to resume work for them."
Director Chen Guohui is having an interview with CGTN during the 10th Beijing International Film Festival, August 28, 2020. /CGTN
Chen studied film directing at the School of Visual Arts in New York. In 1993, the same year when he graduated, Chen won the Salt Screenwriting Award at the renowned Sundance Film Festival for his film "Combination Platter". It tells the story of a Chinese restaurant in New York and what happens among the employees. Chen directed the film and also wrote the screenplay himself. Even till today, he insists on writing screenplays for every film he's made.
"The experience in Hollywood teaches me a lot in film-making. I came back to China because I hope to make Chinese stories. There're so many good stories here. I hope to bring them to the world. That's my dream," Chen told CGTN.
Over the past decade, he's made several blockbuster romance movies, including "Hot Summer Days", "Love in Space" and "Fall In Love Like A Star." But Chen said that he never wanted to be labeled as a "love film director."
Director Chen Guohui (middle) and crew member of the film "Fall In Love Like A Star" attended a press conference in Shanghai, July 16, 2015. /VCG
"I made many love stories all because the investors happened to invest in such stories," he explained. "I actually myself wrote many screenplays for action films. I never thought of being a director that only makes one type of film. I'd like to try new things, and what matters the most is the story itself touches me."
In the interview, the director also said that he's so touched and excited that China's movie sector is getting back to normal as the pandemic is under control. "It seems that our country has done the best job in terms of fighting against the pandemic. We're gradually getting back to our life before the pandemic," he added.
Reporter: Ye Qing, Liu Huihui, Deng Junfang
Videographer: Zhou Yiqiu
Video editor: Ge Kai
Cover image designer: Liu Shaozhen
Project manager: Deng Junfang
Supervisor: Zhang Shilei