A video interview by Federica Polidoro

Editor’s Note: in these times where physical festivals are few and far between, in-person interviews with film makers are even more rare. A shame, because this kind of encounter often brings out a more personal relatability to the artists. Luckily we still had a conversation from last year’s Venice Film Festival in store…  

When Federica Polidoro met Yonfan at the 76th Venice Film Festival, his film No.7 Cherry Lane was the sensation of the edition. Because of its extravagance no one could imagine it was going to go home with the Best Screenplay award. Afterwards the movie was at TIFF as a special event and celebrated at many film festivals across the world.

In this interview the artist, photographer, and writer Yonfan generously answers questions about the genesis of the project, his enthusiasm for movies, and his obsession with Simone Signoret. Yonfan also comments about politics in his country and the parallels to the turmoil of the so-called White Terror in 1960. In particular he spares no criticism of the international media attitude in depicting the (still ongoing) struggle in Hong Kong.

Talking about his collaborators he names the phenomenal animator Zhang Gang and explains the very exotic recipe to cook up his movies. Watch and find out more about the “Buddha-Jumps-Over-The-Wall” secret delicacy formula.