Suzhou River Q&A Session

In recent years, Chinese director Lou Ye has been the object of much attention from those in the know. His first film, Weekend Lover (1994), has been introduced in Japan, but Suzhou River is his third film not to be released in his own country. After the first question broke the ice in the Q&A session, comments and questions flew from audience members who had been held spellbound on the edge of their seats for the duration of this bittersweet love story. Most audience members began by thanking the director in Chinese, giving this reporter the impression that the film had fans of Chinese cinema well-pleased. This intense interest notwithstanding, the director's answers were distinctly low-key. Asked his impressions of Hitchcock's Vertigo and Bernard Herman's score for the film, he replied "I like Hitchcock a lot, but wasn't thinking of him at all when I made this film." One member of the audience volunteered that he had hoped the two main characters wouldn't have had to die for their love, prompting Lou to respond "I hoped so too, but unfortunately, that's just how the film ended." Asked if any of the scenes had been difficult to film, and what he hoped audiences would look at the most, he answered wryly "Difficulties are inevitable, and I hope that you'll look at all of it." Finally, the audience learned that "Patience and effort are essential in dealing with Chinese censors." Unfortunately, actress Zhou Xun, praised highly by both the director and members of the audience, is unable to attend the festival as planned.