Li Qiankuan & Xiao Guiyun 


Li Qiankuan & Xiao Guiyun 
 Are highly regarded Chinese cinematic couples who Co-directed for more than 21 feature films in 30 years of their film career and  won many prestigious awards including “Golden Rooster Award” We got the opportunity to meet this Super couple recently.

These couples are one among those spirited Chinese film makers and are hailed from a city Dalian of china. 

The Beijing-based couples are in India recently for the Indian premiere of their latest film,
 “The Star and the Sea” at 17th International Children’s Film Festival, India in Hyderabad.

he Star and The Sea, directors: Qiankuan Li, Guiyun Xiao cast: Vivian Hsu, Jiahang Su, Youpeng Su, Chengyang Wang, Xiangmei Su.  Print source: The Film Library, Suite 3208, Central Plaza, 18 Harbor Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong, 852 286000033 thefilmlibrary@aol.com

Xiao Guiyun who is also the chairman of the Chinese Film Association, expressed Rajkapoor’s sheen.  During the Chinese evening party Xiao Guiyun cherished the audience by an enchanting song ‘Aware hoon…’ from a blockbuster of legendary filmmaker Rajkapoor which was an instant hit of erstwhile soviet Russia “Aware (1951)”.

‘Xinghai' (The Star and the Sea) directed by couple directors of china was selected for screening in the Competition International section of the Festival. The movie is all about a celebrated Chinese music composer Xian Xinghai 

and his rise from impoverished existence. In recognition to their work XINGHAI (The Star and the Sea) these directors were honored with an Award for Career Achievement in the world premier film festival.          

“This is the first time we have made a children's film. Through this, we want to encourage children of perseverance in reaching their goals.  We put our heart and soul into every frame of the movie,” said director couple

 Li Qiankuan & Xiao Guiyun 


This recent film festival has a special section ‘In Focus China’  a tribute to the nation with maximum number of entries.

Under LI's leadership as chairman, the China Film Foundation has launched the"Wan Ying Ji Hua"–an initiative to show films to the youth, the elderly and the disenfranchised schools in remote areas. 

Li is also a representative of the Chinese film industry, a delegate of the Chinese People’s representative, now a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee. It is with LI’s recommendation the Mainland’s Chinese Film Museum and Film Channel was commenced.

Li couple are hallmarked as evergreen film personalities for their outstanding contribution to Chinese mainland at a celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of Chinese Cinema. 

Li Qiankuan and Xiao Guiyun, graduated, respectively, from the Beijing Film Academy’s Department of Fine Art and the Department of Directing. Li Qiankuan as the Chairman of the China Film Association and head of the China Film Foundation, and Xiao Guiyun, as a member of China’s National Film Approval Board, have made great contributions to the development of Chinese films.1958-59.  

 

Mr  Xiao Guiyun, is also a great artist  who love to sketch at wheresoever’s he is.  During his recent visit to Hyderabad he portrayed a beautiful sketch of another artist Manohar Chiluveru (who happened to interview these director couple) 

The highly regarded Chinese cinematic couples co-directed 21 feature films in 30 years and won many prestigious awards. They have won almost all representative film awards, such as the “Golden Rooster Award, the Huabiao Award, the popular film award Hundred Flowers Award and the Five One Project Award.” Their work “The Birth of New China” was selected to compete in the foreign language film category of the 62nd Academy Awards.

Their direction is the fusion of their ideologies. In myriad way they will take you into transcendent world, into your childhood ending with a good message. Their impressionistic work quickly captures the attention of the audience.

During Cultural Revolution in China these Cinematic couples were forced to relax for 10 years for which they felt bad for they lost their energetic years.

After the phase of Cultural Revolution, they started co-direction in 1981, films based on history of China. Their great number of movies hit the theaters with nationalistic spirit.

Their married life is perfectly blended with good understanding devoid of egoism though existing in the same field. Their appreciative work in completion of the film mellowed them with success in world cinemas over the years.

Rare to find such couples with mutual perceptiveness.  When asked about the secret of their longevity, Guiyun says, “We do it for the sake of art and not for the preservation of our individual pride.”

For decades people of arts and experts lay their eyes on the largest repository of films of Li Qiankuan and Xian Guiyun. Their treasures of films created wonders in film festival held in India. 

When asked how they manage the work schedule, they reply with fervor “I’m very straight in art direction, in the character looks and the rhythm. When my wife handles interior direction, I manage exterior direction, when she does post production, I take up pre-production. We work as team members to complete the work fast”.

They create a kind of ambiance to work together. He established a reputation for his unconventional and innovative style of film making. He achieved a great applause from the audience amid his contemporaries who are green-eyed.

Pushing the barriers aside, he made astounding movies.

Li gives examples of a few films “Zhuan Shan” about a young man from Taiwan who cycles all the way up to Lhasa, Tibet, to fulfill a brother’s wish and a multiple award-winning 2010 film. “Aftershock” for which the local government of Tangshan gave a ‘gift’ of 60 million Chinese Yuan.

Li Qiankuan admits that India produces more number of qualitative films every year than that of china.  When asked about their interest in collaboration they responded,   “‘Of course’ the quality of script matters for us”.

Mr.&Mrs.  Li Qiankuan were impressed with the warm and traditional welcome extended to them by the organizers particularly by offering ‘bindi’ to the inaugural fest.

 Thanks to Ms Alexandra Sun for helping in Translation of interview 

Photography: Neo Sun Studios