Photo of the Film My Memories of Old Beijing

At the recent annual award ceremony of Chinese Film Directors’ Guild (CFDG), Wu Yigong, famous director, honorary member of CFLAC and president of Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, was honored with Lifetime Achievement Award. In his short address, he said, “This is the best honor that I have had so far, and this is purely professional honor without any hypocritical sympathy. I cherish this award and feel very very proud of it. Lastly I would like to say, Vive le film!” His short but touching words gained a long applause in the auditorium.

Wu Yigong’s masterpiece is the film My Memories of Old Beijing in 1982, which set a lot of new records in Chinese film history. As an event in CFDG annual award ceremony, this old film was specially shown in CMODA Art Cinema of Chinese Millennium Monument in Beijing. People in the 21st century can sense a different feeling when watching on the big screen this film shot three decades ago. As his peer in the 4th generation of Chinese directors, Zheng Dongtian commented this film as “a sad but cozy story, smile in the past and joy in desolated lane”. In this film, the director expressed his ideal that our spirits shall remain innocent though our childhood will pass by some day. Such a dignified vision will naturally arise after audience’s savoring the zigzag childhood stories in the film. When the melodious ending music spread the cinema with light on, we found the director, at the age of 73, sitting behind youngsters who were born in 1980s or 1990s. This elderly director was so excited that he struggled onto the stage with tears. Then he gave a bow, expressing his gratitude for accompanying him to review this film.

“Once a reporter asked me whether such a film as My Memories of Old Beijing could be made today. I answered impossible because all the feelings in this film remain in those old days, only in which circumstance people can share an in-depth emotional sympathy. ” Wu Yigong said.