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THR: Please explain how The Last Supper will differ from all the ancient Chinese epic films that have come before it.
Lu Chuan (LC): The president of Venice Film Festival, Marco Mueller, saw our footage today and said for the first time he saw something real from China’s past on the screen. I want to show something to the audience that they can believe. Many Chinese epic movies look like they were shot in a luxury location with colorful wardrobes. But what really happened thousands of years ago was different. I want to show the real history, what really happened. This time we’ll rely on the spirit of the people in the film. We constructed the set and redesigned the costumes and the armor. We spent a lot of money to show the real picture, that everything was so rough. People were chasing their dreams in green fields and forests and running for the goals in their heart. It was an age of life and energy and an age of freed0m, actually. Secondly, I want to say something about the Liu Bang, the first Emperor of the Han Dynasty. He and Xiang Yu destroyed the Qin Emperor, Qin Shihuang. But Liu Bang turned out to want to be another emperor himself. I want to show why a freed0m fighter would turn to out to be another dictator.
Lu Chuan (LC): The president of Venice Film Festival, Marco Mueller, saw our footage today and said for the first time he saw something real from China’s past on the screen. I want to show something to the audience that they can believe. Many Chinese epic movies look like they were shot in a luxury location with colorful wardrobes. But what really happened thousands of years ago was different. I want to show the real history, what really happened. This time we’ll rely on the spirit of the people in the film. We constructed the set and redesigned the costumes and the armor. We spent a lot of money to show the real picture, that everything was so rough. People were chasing their dreams in green fields and forests and running for the goals in their heart. It was an age of life and energy and an age of freed0m, actually. Secondly, I want to say something about the Liu Bang, the first Emperor of the Han Dynasty. He and Xiang Yu destroyed the Qin Emperor, Qin Shihuang. But Liu Bang turned out to want to be another emperor himself. I want to show why a freed0m fighter would turn to out to be another dictator.
THR: Did you write the script on your own? Tell us about your writing process when dealing with such an old and famous tale.
LC: I wrote it by myself. I think writing a script is the best homework for a director to make a movie. Directors in China always get a lot of invitations to dine and drink. When I announce I’m going to sit down to write, those invitations stop. I spent months reading the books about this period. That’s only the first step. Then I want to find something unusual. I don’t believe all that’s written in books. I have a dark side. I never trust books and I start to doubt and analyze. I look for experts and pay them a visit. Several months of homework later, I start to write. I had a feeling from the starting point, a strong feeling, but the feeling wasn’t clear. I just knew that I wanted to make a movie. The first sentence: “Two thousand years ago, all the cities were built in the forest.” This sentence inspired me. I revised everything else many times, but not this sentence.
THR: Chinese actor Liu Ye (City of Life and Death) will play Emperor Liu Bang opposite Hong Kong actor Daniel Wu (Inseparable) playing General Xiang Yu. Chang Chen, from Taiwan (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), plays Han Qin. Were your casting choices designed to ensure appeal across Greater China?
LC: I chose them because they each represent a different understanding of the same history even though they are all Chinese people. This movie is about finding out who your friends are and who are the real traitors.
THR: City of Life and Death cost $12 million to produce and more to market and distribute. It grossed more than $24 million in China. What’s the budget for The Last Supper?
LC: The budget is lower than Nanjing! Nanjing! (City’s Chinese title) because I want to pay back my producers, Han Sanping and Qin Hong. I want them to make some money, so I lowered the budget. Actually, I need more money. It’s almost equal to $12 million.
THR: With more and more modern stories playing in China’s theaters, do you think an ancient Chinese story can still win at the box office?
LC: I’m not sure. This year, there are a lot of Asian epics being made in China. Some are making money and some have lost it already. I’m not sure. I have confidence in my abilities.
LC: I chose them because they each represent a different understanding of the same history even though they are all Chinese people. This movie is about finding out who your friends are and who are the real traitors.
THR: City of Life and Death cost $12 million to produce and more to market and distribute. It grossed more than $24 million in China. What’s the budget for The Last Supper?
LC: The budget is lower than Nanjing! Nanjing! (City’s Chinese title) because I want to pay back my producers, Han Sanping and Qin Hong. I want them to make some money, so I lowered the budget. Actually, I need more money. It’s almost equal to $12 million.
THR: With more and more modern stories playing in China’s theaters, do you think an ancient Chinese story can still win at the box office?
LC: I’m not sure. This year, there are a lot of Asian epics being made in China. Some are making money and some have lost it already. I’m not sure. I have confidence in my abilities.
