Zhang Yimou's new film makes domestic debut (Xinhua) Updated: 2005-12-18 10:07
A film directed by renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou, made its domestic
debut in Lijiang, an ancient city, where the film was shot, in southwest China's
Yunnan Province, on Friday night.
The film, titled " Riding Along For Thousands of Miles," was starred by
veteran Japanese actor Takakura Ken. It tells a story that Takada, a Japanese
fisherman, fulfills the last wish of his dying son by traveling thousands of
miles to China's Yunnan Province to search for the secret behind a local opera
play, called Riding along for Thousands of Miles.
Zhang Yimou, who has been Takakura's admirer for almost 30 years, made the
film just for fulfilling his own wish of working with Takakura Ken.
The film made its global debut at the opening session of the 18th Tokyo
International Film Festival on Oct. 22.
Takakura, one of the best-known actors in Japan, has played roles in 204
films - including Zhang's - and won international recognition after starring in
the 1975 Sydney Pollack hit "The Yakuza" and in Ridley Scott's 1989 work "Black
Rain."
Invested by the Beijing New Picture Edko Films, "Riding Along For Thousands
of Miles" was made at a cost of 60 million yuan (about 7.3 million US dollars),
much less than Zhang's two previous films, "Hero" and "House Of Flying Daggers,"
both had been nominated for best foreign film Oscars.
The film will be formally released in China on Dec. 22.
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