Jia Zhang-ke: ‘My movie life started in Busan’

“It's no exaggeration to say that my movie life started in Busan.”

Chinese director Jia Zhang-ke (54) said this at a press conference held at the Centum City branch of Shinsegae Department Store in Haeundae-gu, Busan Saturday. He was thanking the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) for spotlighting him in 1998 when he was still a newcomer by awarding him the New Currents Award. “I always remembered talking about movies and forming friendships with directors of my age. I always missed Busan,” he said.

Jia Zhang-ke is a Chinese master whose films have realistically captured the lives of people in China's rapidly changing society. He has been recognized by the European film industry with the Golden Lion Award at the Venice International Film Festival for ‘Still Life (2006)’ and the Prix du scenario (best screenplay) award at the Cannes International Film Festival for ‘Best Screenplay for Tianzhu Zheng (2013).’

At this year's BIFF, Jia Zhang-ke premiered his new film ‘Caught by the Tides.’ The film follows the reunion and separation of a man and woman who were lovers in his previous film, ‘Ren Xiaoyao (2002).’ By cross-editing the past and present of the lovers, the film captures 20 years of China's transformation in a short story.

“When I saw the COVID-19 pandemic spreading, I decided to take out my old films,” Jia said. “The pandemic has brought an era to an end and opened a new era. Science and technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), are coming in and changing the way we live.” He went on to say, “In the 2000s, when China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) and successfully won the bid to host the (2008) Beijing Olympics, Chinese society was excited and full of enthusiasm,” adding, “But since then, there have been more rules to follow and people talk less, and I wanted to capture this change in my new film.”

French director Patricia Mazuy, 64, said at the press conference, “It's been two years since I came to Busan for the 2022 BIFF. Whenever I visit Korea, it's always with good memories,” she said. Mazuy was invited to the Cannes International Film Festival for ‘The King's Daughter (2000)’ and the Venice International Film Festival for ‘Basse-Normandie (2004),’ where she established her reputation in the art film world.

Her latest film, ‘Visiting Hours,’ which premiered at this year's BIFF, tells the story of two women. Despite their different paths in life, they understand and comfort each other as they strive to help their imprisoned husbands. The film is impressive for its playful take on a sad situation. “The women are not imprisoned themselves, but because of their husbands, they seem to be living a life of imprisonment without bars,” Mazuy says. “I wanted to tell a sad story in a lighthearted way.”


이호재 기자 hoho@donga.com