Work harder on authenticity

Military-themed films have come up with many quality works. In the current peaceful setting, three relationships need to be handled well in order to present the historical values and depict the significance of the times when filming this type of films.

First is the relationship between military-themed films and our time. Our time is more and more distant from warfare. People with actual wartime experiences are also becoming fewer and fewer. Hence, to film the liveness of war is a rigorous challenge. To portray the sense of the times and of being engaged in military-themed films, this is not simply a matter of costume, make-up, or props. The deeper question is about the creators' understandings of war and battlefield, which cannot be made up for by experiencing life, it is a creative difficulty. Hence, we need to enhance our studies of the histories of our party, military, and of war to make up for this shortcoming.

Second is the relationship between historical accuracy and artistic reality. For most military-themed films, the event and background are real, but the story contains artistic creations. Artistic authenticity depends on polishing the script. If the script is defective from the start, then no amount of later effort can make up for it. Military-themed works should focus their efforts on pursuing artistic authenticity, and especially pay attention to the appeal of the story and its details.

Third is the relationship between the story and its characters. Film is centered on story, and story is centered on people. When we are touched by a film, we are actually moved by the characters in it. Many years later, we might forget the plot of the film, but we will still remember the characters within it. In war-themed films, intense battle scenes and the smoky conditions of war should all serve to create distinctive characters. They should manifest the changes in the personalities, fortunes, and the turns in their lives. When creating military-themed films, the focus should be on specific characters. Taking advantage of the grand historical background and the battle scenes to highlight the changes in individual characters' lives can bring audiences and films, particularly mainstream films, closer.

Contributed by: Yan Shaofei, deputy secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and secretary-general of China Film Association