From November 2-13, the Harvard Film Archive is screening four films by acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yuan, one of the leaders of the freshest talents of what critics term the "6th Generation Directors." The series will include Seventeen Years, for which he won the award for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival. Zhang will be in attendance at a special screening of Seventeen Years Friday at 8:00 p.m. Zhang would like extend his invitations to all interested students.

(translated by Mr. Zhijie Jia and Teri Wang)

THC: You work mostly outside of the Chinese state-run film studios. As an independent filmmaker, what are your impressions of the American film industry?

ZY: I feel that all independent filmmakers worldwide face the same problems, or find themselves in the same situations. With regard to Chinese filmmakers like myself, there are two main problems: money, a problem shared by all filmmakers, but also censorship, which I face more heavily in China. The American independent film industry faces the same funding issues, but instead of censorship, they have to deal more with the market. Hollywood has a tendency to take over the world, in terms of market share. There are numerous Hollywood movies showing in China, many in theaters through official channels, other via pirated VCD's (video compact discs). You have Hollywood and then censorship; the market is small, and getting smaller. In spite of all this, the Chinese filmmakers are still making movies, but it's not a completely optimistic picture.

THC: How has your work with MTV and music video production/direction contributed to this impression?

ZY: It could be said that I am one of the earliest, and probably the earliest, music video producer/director in China. I didn't know anything about the industry at first, but at the time I was working with a musician friend, the composer and rock-star, Cui Jian, the Chinese counterpart of John Lennon. I was a huge fan of his music, and it was his wish that I help direct his video. I realized that the money that I made from these music videos could go toward funding my films, not a bad situation.

THC: Of your movie, which has had the most profound effect in your native China? Do the people welcome your candor with issues such as homosexuality?

ZY: I guess the most influential film has been Beijing Bastard, the first Chinese rock and roll film. Many young people saw it, in spite of the fact that it was never officially released in China, because of its release in Hong Kong and Japan. Of the seven movies that I have made up to this point, only my first film Mama was officially released in China. My two latest movies, Crazy English and Seventeen Years, are to be released very soon in China. But my other movies have never received any chance for release, essentially they were banned. It's truly a breakthrough for those two to be even slotted for future release.

THC: What types of pressures have you felt from the government concerning your films? Have they ever gone to the point of threatening deportation? Are there any films you wish you can make, but have felt a need to draw boundaries for yourself?

Translator: Well that wouldn't happen. China tends to keep everybody at home!