Moving on from Chinese movies

The 2012 Chinese Movie Industry Report released by China Film Association says that China will surpass Japan to become the world's second-largest movie market this year with annual box office takings hitting $2.85 billion

"We can become No 2 or even grow as big as the US considering our market size. But talking about movies specifically, I think Chinese films can be a delicious starter but not a main course because of the language barrier," Wang said.

"I am looking for real co-production, but many foreign companies only pay attention to the huge Chinese market or are looking for funds. I don't want that sort of cooperation. I hope international cooperation can involve Chinese concepts and tell Chinese stories to the global English-speaking market," he said.

Huayi Brothers' recent international cooperation with Legendary East over The Great Wall shows the company's ambition to march into the international market. The story tells the story of China's Great Wall and is much more than a platform to demonstrate kung fu moves.

Passion

Wang Zhonglei and his elder brother Wang Zhongjun, the current chairman, set up Huayi Brothers in 1994 as an advertising company. It entered the film industry through investing in Feng Xiaogang's comedies.

Wang was a Beijing native and grew up in a military compound in the 1970s like many offspring of the military. Watching movies was among his happiest moments.

"My passion for films may come from those exciting battle films I watched," he said. In Wang's view, good commercial movies should have dramatic conflicts and rich creativity. The latest good example is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, he said.

As a "busy and happy movie man", Wang said almost every minute in his life is occupied by films. Because his time is limited, he changed his hobby from reading philosophy and essays to reading books related to movies, including novels that have been turned into films.

Asked which is his favorite book recently, he is a rare exception from other interviewees who often cite famous titles such as The Confessions of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Wang expressed admiration for online writers.

"The best part of online writers is their creativity and imagination, a quality that is essential in a good scriptwriter," Wang said. One of his latest favorites is Notes from a Grave Robber, which combines reality and legend.

"Huayi Brothers set up a new department recently to pay close attention to the works of online writers," he added.

Unavoidably, Wang has read negative news about movie stars under the Huayi label. He said it used to concern him but he doesn't care anymore.

"Who can take entertainment gossip seriously?" he said.

"If I stopped working in the movie industry, I'd like to spend my time being a good husband," he said.

The movie industry has taken up too much time that could have been spent with his wife, whom he met on an airplane when he was 20 years old.

"I feel I haven't done enough as a husband. If possible, I would spare more time for my wife and son."

xuxiaomin@chinadaily.com.cn