Chinese movies 'have to change' and improve quality, says filmmaker Dayyan Eng

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By CGTN’s World Insight

A lot of Chinese filmmakers nowadays do not pay attention to quality as they rush to make movies, and this "will have to change", Chinese-American filmmaker Dayyan Eng has warned.

“It's just for cashing in… It’s like, 'this book is really popular now, quickly let’s get it into production' because you don’t want to take too long,” Eng told CGTN’s World Insight during an interview in Beijing.

The Chinese movie market, second only to the United States, has seen an enormous amount of capital rush in. This demand has churned out many movies, but few have managed to satisfy the rising standards of Chinese audiences, even with the presence of big-name stars.

Film director Dayyan Eng speaks at a press briefing to promote his new film "Wished" in Wuhan, China, on June 26, 2017. /CFP Photo

“It’s like the worst visual effects ever and it's a terrible story and it was done really badly and everybody hated it,” Eng noted.

This may have worked in the past but audiences are no longer so easily tricked. “They don’t trust it, and when they don't trust it, the local film industry suffers,” said the director.

Hollywood is now courting Chinese investment for its own productions, which may also affect film quality, Eng argued.

CGTN Photo

“We see it in a lot of big budget Hollywood films where these Chinese companies keep popping up in the logos,” he said, adding that he himself has to work hard to find a balance between the commercial and artistic side of movies.

Chinese-American Eng, who was born in Taiwan, grew up between two cultures and is one of the biggest names to Chinese movie fans.

His early work “Bus 44” was the first Chinese short film to win awards at the Venice Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival in 2001.

His latest film is a fantasy comedy called “Wished”, currently screening in Chinese cinemas.

World Insight with Tian Wei is a 45-minute global affairs and debate show on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 10.15 p.m. BJT (1415GMT), with rebroadcasts at 4.15 a.m. BJT (2015GMT).