The 19th Asian Film Awards held three masterclasses at the Hong Kong Xiqu Centre, featuring Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk, Chinese director Jia Zhangke and actress Zhang Ziyi as speakers, attracting more than 3,000 audience members.
Hwang Dong-hyuk: Hong Kong cinema inspired Squid Game
Hwang Dong-hyuk openly admitted that Hong Kong films from the 1980s and 1990s had a profound influence on him, with "Infernal Affairs" being his favourite. "Squid Game" was originally conceived as a film; adapting it into a series allowed him to expand the characters and the world, adding "Player 001" and the detective character. He encouraged young creators: "Anyone can learn techniques, but what matters is whether you have a story you want to tell the world." He also said that he had long been mentally prepared to "become a loser," which is what keeps him steadfast on the path of filmmaking.
Jia Zhangke: From Shanxi to the world, embracing new technology
Jia Zhangke recalled an interesting anecdote about working with Zhao Tao: Zhao once said, "Clothes can be old, but they must not be dirty, because people of every era have dignity." That remark influenced how he handles period details. On international collaboration, he believes film language is a universal language, and that ten words are enough to communicate. Regarding AI technology, he has personally explored it and made an AI short film, urging: "Don't rush to protest or reject it. Get to know it first."
Zhang Ziyi: Drawn to flesh-and-blood characters who ask for trouble
Zhang Ziyi shared her experience working with Aaron Kwok on "Love for Life," saying she was surprised that Kwok was willing to play such an earthy villager, and the two sparked many creative moments together. For her role as "Gong Er" in "The Grandmaster," she spent three years training in martial arts, admitting that her body was stiff and that her dance background did not make it easy. In her latest work, "The Murder of the Husband of Sauce Garden Alley," the trembling and fear she felt while filming in the freezing cold came from genuine physical reactions. She said the roles that attract her are often imperfect, scarred, or even mad. "Their souls are especially interesting — that's the impulse I want to dig into."
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