Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFxf4kG69H4

1) This is the first IMAX film made outside the United States, a joint product between China’s Hua Yi Brothers, and IMAX

2) Richard Gelfond, IMAX CEO on why they chose this particular film: “In the U.S., one of the key criteria we have is the director, and that’s why whether it’s Chris Nolan or Jim Cameron or Tim Burton, they work in IMAX. We knew Feng Xiaogang had an extremely high reputation in China and we also knew he was good at marketing films. All these factors pointed to Huayi as a logical choice.”

3) The film is set to receive the widest theatrical release in modern Chinese history, at up to 4,000 screens in China,  an amount comparable to  the widest release ever in America of 4,146 screens (Eclipse).

4) In a few short days at Cannes when previewed, Tangshan Earthquake was signed to seven countries and, along with Detective Dee, became the first Huayi Brothers Chinese film to be released across Asia and in multiple regions.

5)The movie is based around the Tangshan Earthquake, the second deadliest earthquake of all time, and the largest earthquake of the twentieth century by death toll.

6) This film was partly funded by the Tangshan city government, and shot there. The director recruited actual survivors as extras, including them in an aerial shot showing the city dotted with small fires — survivors burning paper offerings for their loved ones. “They were really crying. They were burning paper as they were expressing their love for their relatives,” Feng said.

7) This is the first time actress Xu Fan has appeared  in a Feng Xiaogang film in six years, since the well-received A World Without Thieves. She plays a mother whose heart has been broken for 32 years after he earthquake takes away her husband and forces her to make life’s most difficult and most painful choice.

8)  Movie producer Chen Kuo-fu: “The essence of this movie is still the power of emotions, the power of family love, the power of family. There isn’t a place in the world like China, that sees family love and family as an important foothold and support as one’s own life.”

Sources:  Jo’s wonderful  translations from Sina at Cfensi forums, filmbiz asia, THR

Jo had translated some beautiful articles about the family aspect of this film that are, although lengthy, definitely worth a read if you are interested.

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