Jadesoturi, the first China-Finland joint-venture movie,
held a "premiere" ceremony yesterday afternoon at the China Film
Museum in Beijing.
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Cheng Taisheng, director Antti-Jussi
Annila, Dang Hao, Zhang Jingchu
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Director Antti-Jussi Annila, actor Dang Hao, Cheng Taisheng and
leading lady Zhang Jingchu attended the event. The movie was
actually released in China on October 24.
Jadesoturi, or Jade Warrior, tells a story set
thousands of years ago in ancient China when a swashbuckling hero
fights against his destiny. He wants another chance to be reunited
with his loved one and he gets that chance, across space and time,
in the cold north of modern Finland.
Jadesoturi is set in ancient China's early iron age and
present day Finland, combining Finnish and Chinese mythologies into
one film. Jadesoturi is a Kungfu genre movie based on and
adapted from the Finnish national epic Kalevala, which was a
source of inspiration to none other than J.RR. Tolkien when writing
The Lord of the Rings.
This movie was co-produced by Finland Blind Spot Pictures Oy, Fu
Works, Ming Productions, Film Tower, and Warner China Film HG
Corporation. Antti-Jussi Annila said at the ceremony that
"Jadesoturi has made my dreams come true. The movie present
two cultures: one I grew with, other so magical I love it more and
more. To combine them together is a big adventure."
Annila added that he has always loved Chinese movies. Many ideas
on Jadeosturi's colors and themes are inspired by some
Chinese movies. "I hope Chinese audiences only have two reactions
after they finish the movie, to either extremely love it or
extremely hate it. I don't want anybody neutral."
Jadesoturi was screened in Finland on October 13 and
debuted at No. 1 on the nation's weekly movie chart. The actress
Zhang Jingchu said, "I feel very excited. It's just like a dream.
It’s a Chinese swordsman story seen through Finnish eyes. Very
exotic."
(China.org.cn by Zhang Rui October 27, 2006)
