Chinese filmmakers and directors attending the ongoing session of the country's top advisory body have extended congratulations to Ang Lee, the American Chinese director who won the Academy Award for best director on Monday.

 

"I want to congratulate Lee on his success. I haven't got the chance to watch his Brokeback Mountain, but I have always liked the elegant and graceful style of his movies," said Huang Shuqin, an acclaimed director in the Chinese film circle who is also a member of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top advisory body in its annual full session in Beijing.

 

"Even if you search across the globe, Ang Lee is a rare 'intellectual-type director' who can observe culture and produce movies from an international perspective," commented Huang.

 

Huang said the Chinese directors and filmmakers should learn from Ang Lee, who is very strict with script selection, never hasty in movie production, and always adheres to his own style regardless of the comments from the judging panels of film awards,if they want to be more successful internationally.

 

Echoing Huang's view, Feng Xiaoning, another famous Chinese director known best for his war movies, said the key to Ang Lee's success lies in "digging deep into the rich Chinese culture and national tradition."

 

"Maybe it's nothing new to us, but instead of just talking about it -- actually we have been talking for many years -- we must do it and do it with our hearts," said Feng.

 

However, Wu Yigong, a veteran film producer and chairman of the China Film Association, told Xinhua News Agency in an exclusive interview that he didn't believe the Chinese culture had a role to play in Ang Lee's latest success.

 

"Ang Lee has now become a pure Hollywood director, and nothing in Brokeback Mountain can be linked with the Chinese culture," said Wu.

 

Two of China's top movie directors, Zhang Yimou and Chen Kaige, cannot be reached for comment immediately.

 

Zhang, a member of the 10th CPPCC National Committee, is absent from the ongoing session. Chen is not a member of the advisory body.

 

Zhang and Chen had led the Chinese film makers' bid for an Oscar best foreign film award in recent years, with their costly Kung Fu blockbusters Hero and The Promise. Hero won an Oscar nomination but failed to grab the award, while The Promise was disqualified in this year's nomination stage.

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2006)