French director explores the infinite possibilities of life

Rehearsal of Station Liberte. [Photo by Ruan Fan/chinadaily.com.cn]

Despair could also harbor freedom

"I have also encountered despair, I know how it tastes," Julien said, adding this is the one thing that he has in common with the male character in Station Liberte.

"Despair is not all that pessimistic. Actually I find it to be very interesting - it causes you pain, yet it also gives you freedom. It is a state of mind where you desire for nothing, a situation where you seek no alternative ways to change."

Modern life is what bestowed Julien the feeling of despair. On the one hand, he finds modern life adorable –"it is convenient, and you can do a lot of things with all those high-techs"; on the other hand, he felt grappled by the overwhelming materialism that is almost suffocating spirits.

"I used to ask my friend, if a great philosopher like Russell, or a great poet like Shakespeare lived in today's world, would he be discovered? I doubt that – spirituality has gone so far from our society, and we're not able to fully enjoy them anymore."

It is an alienated world Julien said he alone can't change - the cyber space, in particular, offered innocent citizens to voice their anger and "it is a world where stupidity has its thought."

Julien said that's one of the reasons he felt the urge to think before he say or do anything. "I appreciate what Confucius has taught us – Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous," he said.

"You can do whatever you want, say whatever you like to, as long as it doesn't break the law. Yet, what you say and do is it really useful to the society? You have to think about that."