Valiant bid to revive love for slacking genre

While romantic films received a poor reception in China last year, a recent hit may point to signs of a revival of the genre, which was once a big-screen favorite.

Run for Love, an expensive title that premiered on Valentines' Day, has garnered lots of attention for its heavyweight cast.

Five veteran directors and 10 stars are behind the feature, which was shot in picturesque locations in Japan, Norway, the United States, Turkey and Saipan.

The 137-minute feature comprises five stories. Each one has one veteran director, a couple of stars, and was filmed in one of the five locations.

Many industry watchers see the film as a bid to boost the flagging genre.

Recent box-office numbers show that of the 80 movies that surpassed 100 million yuan last year ($15.34 million), only 6 or 7.5 percent, were romantic films.

"One tale can represent only one form of love. Five mean more choices. The stories strike a chord with audiences if they mirror the viewers' experiences," says Yang Xin, a film critic.

The cast, which boasts actress Zhang Ziyi, Chinese-Canadian actor Eddie Peng, Taiwan singer-star Michelle Chen, pop singer Wu Mochou, and award-winning actor Wang Qianyuan, have also played a part in garnering viewer interest.

Gao Qunshu, who helmed the Saipan segment, says the idea for the film came from the overseas tours of the five directors, who are also good personal friends.

"We've done lots of travel in recent years. There are so many amazing, gorgeous corners and locations across the world," Gao says.

"Some of the places, with their histories and myths, are natural settings for romantic stories," he adds.

The directors then reached a consensus: It would be interesting to develop romances in a "strange, remote" environment.

Zhang Yibai, director of the Japan segment, which is about first love, says: "We traveled across the world in order to show Chinese audiences the love in our hearts."

The segment is about a Chinese white-collar worker's romantic involvement with an apprentice sushi chef.

In a tribute to Zhang Yibai's favorite Japanese director Shunji Iwai, the segment's plot is similar to Iwai's 1995 romantic classic Love Letter.

For director Zhang Meng, who did the American segment, love means "freedom".

His story has most of its scenes shot along Route 66, known as "Mother Road" in the US.

Zhang, who shot to fame with The Piano in a Factory, which won the top prize at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2010, regards the road as "representing the spirit of freedom".

While a location's scenery is a significant element in each segment, the directors also make an attempt to bring the region's history into play.

For Gao, known for his spy thriller The Messenger, Saipan is an island of breathtaking beauty but with a terrible past.

Gao, who also directed The Tokyo Trial - a 2006 film based on the records of International Military Tribunal for the Far East after Japan's surrender in World War II - says he was shocked to learn of the heavy casualties of US and Japanese troops in the Battle of Saipan during WWII.

Interestingly, Gao's tale, which captures some nuances from history, is the most tragic and controversial among the five. Starring actresses Tong Liya and Zhou Dongyu, the tale is about a woman's struggle with her husband's mistress.

In an unlikely twist, the mistress falls in love with the wife, after the wife receives the transplanted heart of her husband who is killed in a car accident.

Confused by the messy situation, the wife shoots herself in the heart to end her troubles.

While the Saipan story was once the most anticipated among the five, most viewers and critics say they were disappointed by the tale.

While many viewers expected it would be a love story about lesbians many now feel let down.

Although Run for Love tries a new format, most reviews on major movie sites describe the plots as "excessively quirky".

The other directors are Teng Huatao (who directed the Norway section) and Guan Hu (the Turkey romance).

(China Daily USA 02/25/2016 page7)