Jadesoturi, the first China-Finland joint-venture movie, held a "premiere" ceremony yesterday afternoon at the China Film Museum in Beijing.

 

Cheng Taisheng, director Antti-Jussi Annila, Dang Hao, Zhang Jingchu

 

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)