‘Green Wave' Helmer Xu Lei Talks Chinese Film Funding And Directing His Father In The Comedy-Drama
Drawing laughter from the crowd of more than 1,200 people at the film's international premiere in the Teatro Nuovo Giovanni, Xu tells Deadline that he did not intend to write a comedy at first, but humor gradually found its way into the story.
More from Deadline
'Bullet Train Explosion' Director Shinji Higuchi Talks Casting Singer-Actor Tsuyoshi Kusanagi & The Film's Moral Questions
Shudder Acquires Historical Horror 'Orang Ikan'
Netflix APAC Film Viewership Grew 20% In 2024 - APAC Showcase
'At the beginning, it wasn't meant to be a comedy, it was just meant to be a family drama about the father and son,' says Xu. 'However, as the story evolved during the production, it gradually turned into a comedy. As a filmmaker, I always appreciate the opportunity to grow in making your own movie. You find out more about yourself while making a film.'
Xu adds that it will be far more challenging to fund a film like Green Wave in China today, compared to the domestic funding landscape a few years ago.
'When I started the project and looked for investors two to three years ago, it was a good time in China's movie market. But if I had to make this movie now, I would probably not have the same outcome,' says Xu. 'It's because fighting for audiences to take the time to go inside the cinema is even more competitive now, compared to three years ago. Now they have TikTok, streaming and games. In order to lure the audiences to go inside the theater, it's not as easy as before, so investors hesitate before they give the money to make a movie.'
Xu says that he has completed the screenplay for his next film, titled The Peacemaker, and is currently putting together funding for the film. The Peacemaker is set in a rural village and revolves around a person who assumes the role of a local 'godfather' for the village, helping to arbitrate for the villagers, and settling their struggles and disputes.
Xu previously directed Summer Detective (2019) and co-directed Hutong Cowboy with veteran filmmaker Ning Hao.
Green Wave revolves around Wei Fei, a screenwriter who lives in Beijing. His recently-widowed father, Lao Wei, who lives further away in a village, finds a seemingly antique porcelain bowl while his ancestral home is being demolished. Father and son live under the same roof again, as Lao Wei arrives in Beijing to have the bowl evaluated by experts, in the hopes of making a windfall.
Xu cast his real-life father, Xu Chaoying, in the role of Lao Wei — marking the second time that his father has appeared in his films. 'When writing the script, I did not initially intend to cast my father. But through the casting process, I looked around and felt like my father would be very believable and convincing in this role, so I ended up choosing him.' It seems like a move that has paid off, with the elder Xu picking up the Best Actor prize at the Pingyao fest.
Elaborating on what it was like to direct his father, Xu said: 'This is the second time working with my father, so the easiest part is that I know his capacity, how much he can perform and what he can do.'
Xu said that he spent some time working with refining the accents of the actors in the film, including Wang Chuanjun (who plays the son) to match the accents of the onscreen duo, as Wang is not from the same province as Xu's family.
The inspiration behind the film's plot came from a friend's story.
'I have a friend who has a disability, and his father is an antique collector. All his life, he wants to find something authentic that will make him super rich, so that he can secure financial independence for his son,' says Xu. 'My friend and I both knew that his father's collection is all fake — none of them are real antiques, but he appreciates the affection and thought behind what the father is trying to do, which is real and genuine.'
Best of Deadline
Everything We Know About Netflix's 'The Thursday Murder Club' So Far
TV Show Book Adaptations Arriving In 2025 So Far
Which Colleen Hoover Books Are Becoming Movies? 'Verity,' 'Reminders Of Him' & 'Regretting You' Will Join 'It Ends With Us'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
7 Best New Movies on Prime Video in July 2025
Summer has officially set in, and there's some hot new flicks to watch while you're beating the heat in the house. From crimefighting cyborgs that seek revenge to that magical Cynthia Erivo-Ariana Grande collaboration that still has us dancing through life, there's a lot in store on Prime Video. Plus, Idris Elba and John Cena have dropped their comedic action-thriller 'Heads of State.' More from TheWrap 7 Best New Comedies Streaming on Netflix Right Now 7 Best New Movies Streaming on Hulu Right Now 7 Best New Movies on Prime Video in July 2025 'Jurassic World Rebirth' Cast and Character Guide: Who's Who in the Adventure? Here's our curated list of the best new movies on Amazon Prime Video we think you should be watching next. Of course, 'Wicked' is on the list. We're still not over Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's beautiful collaboration. Erivo plays outcast Elphaba, a green-skinned young woman with immense power. While attending school, she befriends Glinda, a fellow witch, who desires the spotlight at her institution. Together, they form an unlikely bond and team up to take on the dark and insidious plots against specific beings in the Land of Oz. Joining Prime Video's slate as one of its newest original films is 'Heads of State' starring Idris Elba and John Cena. The two play rivals, President Will Derringer (Cena) and British Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Elba), a pair of politicians who are forced to work together to escape their common foes after Air Force One is shot down over enemy territory. There's nothing more nerve-racking than meeting your partner's parents for the first time. In a comedic portrayal of the milestone moment in relationships, Ben Stiller plays Greg Focker, whose weekend visit is corrupted by a series of unfortunate mishaps and embarrassing fumbles that put a damper on his attempt to propose. Tom Hanks stars as Captain John Miller in Steven Spielberg's Oscar-winning war drama 'Saving Private Ryan.' In an effort to save Private James Ryan, whose three brothers were killed in combat, John brings a cohort of his squad beyond enemy lines to rescue him. While doing so, each soldier goes on their own mission, one that helps them realize their personal strengths. There are only so many actors who can successfully pull off dramatic roles and comedic ones, and two of them just so happen to the stars in the comedy-adventure 'Game Night.'Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star as Max and Annie, a married couple who join a murder mystery party that features fake crooks and cops and seemingly real kidnapping of Max's brother Brooks. As the game goes on, the couple start to realize it's not a game at all, and nothing is at all what it seems to be. Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson and Janelle Monae portray the real life stories of NASA mathematicians Katherine Goble Johnson (Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Monae), three Black American women who played a key role in the success of early space missions, including crafting calculations for the Apollo 11 moon landing, all while battling racism and sexism at their place of work. In Paul Verhoeven's, an evil corporation called Omni Consumer Products wins a contract from the government to turn the police force into a private business. And in doing so, the organization attempts to try out its crimefighting cyborgs, but they'll need a human host to successfully launch it. That's when they lure street cop Alex Murphy into a armed confrontation with a crime lord to take over his body and use him as a guinea pig. However, the RoboCop eventually catches on to their dastardly plans on turns on its creators. The post 7 Best New Movies on Prime Video in July 2025 appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Liam Payne's Family React to Netflix's ‘Building the Band': 'I Couldn't Be Prouder'
Liam Payne's final TV project Building the Band will air on Netflix tomorrow (Wednesday 9th July). Hosted by Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean, the show will see 50 singers select their potential bandmates based purely on vocal chemistry without ever seeing one another in isolated booths—think Love Is Blind meets The Voice. Nicole Scherzinger will serve as a mentor and judge, and will be joined by guest judges Kelly Rowland and the late Liam Payne, who sadly passed away on October 16, 2024, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As the new series airs on Netflix, here's how his family reacted to the show. Following the trailer release, Nicola shared a heartfelt message on her Instagram Stories. 'Over the years I've shared many achievements and momentous occasions as a proud sister and I couldn't be prouder of this show,' Nicola, 37, wrote. 'And I know you are so proud too.' She continued: 'Watching this over the past few months has given me/us a way to still feel close to you and see you at your best and I'm so glad the world gets to see it all now too. You truly are a shining star, miss you more than words can say, love you more than that.' Ruth also responded to the trailer, writing on her own Story: 'I didn't know whether to share this but it felt weird when I've raved about Liam's work and achievements for the last 15 years. I'm heartbroken he never got to see how great he is in this show. 'He knew he had done a good job. We all told him this when we were at filming, but watching it back, wow!' The 34-year-old continued: 'You're a star Liam, you always were and always will be. There are a range of emotions I felt watching this, but one of the main ones is immeasurable pride always. Miss you more everyday.' A statement from Netflix said: 'Liam Payne's family reviewed the series and is supportive of his inclusion.' A source added: 'Netflix have gone out of their way to make sure his family are happy. Producers sent them the footage so they are fully aware of what to expect and they have given it their blessing.' Building the Band starts on Netflix on Wednesday 9th July. You Might Also Like Here's What NOT to Wear to a Wedding Meet the Laziest, Easiest Acne Routine You'll Ever Try
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow reveals he canceled Batmobile purchase after home burglary
Joe Burrow looked like a superhero last season while keeping the Cincinnati Bengals afloat despite the team allowing the 25th-most points per game in the NFL. The two-time Pro Bowler will no longer have the car to fit the part, though. Advertisement Burrow revealed on Netflix's latest season of "Quarterback" that he canceled his previous purchase of a real-life Batmobile, Batman's go-to ride in Gotham City. Burrow rethought the acquisition after his Cincinnati home was broken into last December. The burglary occurred while Burrow and the Bengals were on the road playing the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14. He had originally mentioned he was buying the replica vehicle, which goes for $3 million, during last year's in-season "Hard Knocks" series that featured all four AFC North teams. "I didn't end up getting the Batmobile because I just had other things I wanted to deal with at that point," Burrow said on "Quarterback," which was released Tuesday. Advertisement After a 27-20 win over the Cowboys on Dec. 9, Burrow found out his house was ransacked. Law enforcement responded to Burrow's home around 8:14 that night. While Burrow was away, a bedroom window on the back side of his house was broken and rooms were rummaged through. A federal grand jury in Cincinnati charged three men believed to be operating as part of a South American Theft Group, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio. "Quarterback" shows a conversation between Burrow and then-Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo from last winter. Burrow explains the fallout of the burglary, noting stolen jewelry but also, more importantly, an invasion of privacy. As shown in "Quarterback," Burrow discusses the inconvenience of having news vans camped out by his house and even talks about the possibility of him moving houses. Advertisement "I just get very uncomfortable," Burrow told the show in another scene. "My life is very public. That comes with the job, but there's certain parts of your life that are yours. Your house is one of those."
