Oscar-winning Director Helps to Bridge China-UK Relations
▲Click above to subscribe 点击上方蓝字关注我们▲
Two-time Oscar-winning director from the UK, Malcolm Clarke, visited China for the first time in the 1980s. His impression of China at the time was a "rural, poor and a difficult place to be."
All that changed when he returned to the country in 2013 to film a documentary on China-US relations.
Having been in more than 80 countries to film documentaries and feature films, with a more than 40 years experience, Clarke was awed by the transformation that took place in China since he last visited the country.
In a complete contrast to what he'd imagined China would be, he saw towering skyscrapers, vibrant and energetic cities, the country suddenly became barely unrecognizable to him.
"The rise of China is the biggest going-on story of the 21st century," he told Xinhua in an interview last Thursday to mark the Shanghai release of a short film he features in.
The film tells the great changes China has undergone since the reform and opening up through the eyes of people like Clarke.
"No other country had achieved what China had in such a short span of time," he said.
Struck by the thought of showing the world what is happening in China, he decided to make Shanghai his home, and China has since become a major topic of his films.
The film release day also marked the one-year anniversary of the lifting of the 76-day lockdown in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, once hit hard by COVID-19. Clarke was one of those who experienced the epidemic in the city.
After the outbreak of COVID-19, Clarke and his team took a risk and spent 55 days in Wuhan shooting a documentary, recording scenes from residents' daily lives and their fight against the epidemic during the trying period.
He was impressed by the quick and efficient epidemic prevention and control measures China had taken, like building makeshift hospitals.
"People of my film crew were staggered and hugely impressed with what China had done against COVID-19," he said. "That's a story that we need to tell the world."
With a wide array of exclusive footage, the documentary is still in post-production. Clarke hopes when completed, more people will recognize China's contribution to the global fight against COVID-19.
Currently, he is making a six-episode series, telling the story of a British professor's life in China. "A picture is worth a thousand words," he said, noting that he will try his best to promote the West's understanding of the country through his eyes and lens.
"It's a drop in the ocean, but I hope my films can make people take a better look at China and appreciate it," he said.
Citations: Xinhua, China Daily, Oscars
Contributions will be appreciated！
欢迎投稿！
▲ QQ group
▲ Official account