[2009.05.28] CHOW YUN FAT, GONG LI NEW FILM OPENS PUSAN

Photo courtesy of takungpao.com

Pusan Film Festival chair recently visited Chengdu for an understanding of the film production CHENGDU I LOVE YOU. He mentioned that the film might very likely be Pusan Film Festival's closing film. As for this year's opening film, he hinted, "It will be a Chinese film about 1937 Shanghai." Reporters understood that this "mystery" opening film will be the Chow Yun Fat and Gong Li's reunion after CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, SHANGHAI.

SHANGHAI takes place in the World War II Shanghai. Gong Li plays the top singer in the Bund's night club scene. Chow Yun Fat plays the mob boss who gave her her start and keeps her. Yet after the John Cusack played American reporter appears, Gong Li finds true love and is determined to leave Chow Yun Fat. Chow Yun Fat proceeds to use all of the mob's power for revenge. This film that started production last year originally planned to shoot in Shanghai, but due to some of the more sensitive story details finally moved to Thailand's "Shanghai" set. However last year at the Shanghai International Film Festival, China Film Studio chief said after the film's Chinese title change it was able to obtain a production permit. Yet due to a variety of reasons, the film in the end was unable to shoot on location in the Mainland.

After at the end of last year when it had no hope of a 2008 release and no chance at the Oscars, the film gradually retreated from the audience's line of vision. Yet Pusan Film Festival chair expressed that the film should be the opening film for the 14th Annual Pusan Film Festival that will take place between October 8 and 16.