Ai Weiwei Shares Details About the Film He Is Directing Via Skype in This New Interview

The artist talks about directing his 6-year-old son, not being able to leave China, and his love for Berlin.

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Complex Original

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Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is still unable to leave his home country because the government won't return his passport, but that hasn't stopped him from organizing and directing projects in various locations around the world, including a major exhibition that is currently on view in the prison on Alcatraz Island titled @Large. For his latest project, Ai Weiwei joins other directors in creating short films for the Berlin Film Festival, with the vignettes coming together to form a film titled Berlin, I Love You, a sequel to the "Cities of Love" series. 

Being that he can't visit the country, the artist is directing the entire project via Skype, an interesting process that he spoke about in a recent interview with Jing Daily. "I have my own studio being built in Berlin," said the artist of his ties to the city. "Even a stronger reason, my son and his mother have been staying in Berlin for the past five months, I think it gives me stronger feelings in relating to that city." He revealed that the film is written by his 6-year-old son's mother, Wang Fen, and that his son will have a role in the project. "The story is basically about a young boy who discovers a city he has just arrived in, so the details are through the youngster’s eyes. At the same time, he’s cut off from home—where he comes from, which is China."

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"The film is about the relationship between the father and the son," Ai Weiwei continues, "and between technology and everyday struggle." The artist says that his own personal experiences as a child were similar to those of the main character in the film. "I grew up in a very difficult situation. I also had a period of separation with my parents, and had to be very independent, facing a very rough world. That makes a child grow up, and for better or for worse, you have to take responsibility and face reality. I think that makes a person emotionally stronger and can also make them more independent." 

Of the process of directing the film from his computer, Ai Weiwei said, "I think it’s wonderful. It makes you really think about what’s important in directing a film. Film is a product of collected wisdom and effort. Every second counts. It’s an art about time. It’s very interesting to see what is necessary and what is not when directing from a distance."

He also praised his team and said that he is "fortunate" to have his son as an actor, but confessed that there are challenges. "The challenges are like that of any art. It’s not like creating a drawing. When you make a drawing, the challenge is between your hand, your eye, the pencil, and the paper. This is between how to carry out your emotions and ideas through another person, through another lens, through another sound, color, and actors. Everybody making the film has to share a similar state of mind and that has to be caught on film."

The artist also commented on why he thinks the Chinese government still won't let him leave the country. "I think these restrictions around me try to stop my voice, but the voice is really an inner need. It’s part of life. That cannot be stopped if life is not stopped. I will always find a way to express myself." Read the full interview over at Jing Daily.

[via Jing Daily]

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