Jury experience in Venice challenging: Chinese director

In his view, so-called "art" or "independent" films generally have higher chances to be awarded at the Venice International Film Festival, as Europeans traditionally have a preference for those works with deeper social, political or religious elements.

This is particularly challenging for Chinese films, Chan noted. But the strength and beauty of a film is what counts the most, so that "each film in competition in fact has its chance to be a winner," he told Xinhua.

The jury's final decision, Chan said, results from a combination of factors, including the personal taste and experience of jury members, "and also fortune." It is impossible, he stressed, to make a calculation of what ingredients can make a film the winner. "Some calculations might help a film be selected for the competition, but winning an award is something different," he said.

The Orizzonti jury was chaired by Jonathan Demme, the American director winner of Best Director Oscar for The Silence of the Lambs in 1991. The other members of the jury were French director and screenwriter Alix Delaporte, Spanish actress Paz Vega and Italian actress Anita Caprioli.

The different backgrounds of the jury members as well as the fact that some were directors and others were actors made their views quite different, however a calm dialogue among them made everything work smoothly, Chan underlined.

"It was not like they told me it happened in the past, when more than 10 hours of heated debate would be necessary in order to take a decision," he pointed out.

Chan said that since many years ago the digital revolution has influenced and changed the filmmaking process, in particular as regards Asian films. On one side technology has made things easier, as anybody is now able to make a film just with a small budget, which especially helps young directors. "But on the other side, competition has become fiercer," he added.

Like it or not, the digital revolution is a matter of fact in a world in which young generations have all grown up watching movies on their computers, Chan stressed.

In his view, both commercial and art films can be excellent works. "Art films are not necessarily more noble," he told Xinhua. Both the commercial and art films, he said, meet the same difficulties and challenges in facing the market.

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