There is an increasing trend in the film community; the integration of exceptional talent from China. America may have been unaware of it or possibly even unreceptive to it, but there’s no denying the exceptional contributions of artists and professionals from this country. Producer Yuanhao Du has been a powerful force behind a number of films, most recently for A Mother’s Love. Through the medium of film, Yuanhao continually proves that the stories of our lives are universal. Though they may be shaded by cultural settings, it is not necessary to do so.
A Mother’s Love has received global acclaim equally at Italy’s ONIROS Film Awards, America’s UTAH Film Festival, and nearly three million views on Tencent (China’s uber popular video site). While his goal may simply be to create great films, Yuanhao is solidifying the case that the arts bring the whole world into some shared experience and awareness that our live are much more similar than we might ever think.
With increasing frequency, small films are made as a precursor to a bigger budget version; this was the template for A Mother’s Love. Yuanhao is widely known for his ability as a producer to make “big things” happen with small productions; i.e. huge talent with ultra-efficient minimal budgeting. With a small but exceptional production team, the main decision in terms of where to place the lion’s share of the budget was in regards to using a fancy camera or a beautiful set for this film. Yuanhao’s decision to spend more on the Art Department was key to convincing investors that the film was ideal for a larger full length iteration.
The action of this film takes place at a time of dire circumstances but the heart of the story explores the thin line that separates devotion motivated by love versus a compulsion to control others. Particularly intriguing in the plot is that it takes place between parent and child rather than a romantic obsession. A parent’s desire to protect their child may actually become the wedge that drives them apart.
The main character is a young man who wakes to find his one-night-stand dead in his bed. When his overly controlling mother breaks into his room and finds the dead girl, she removes the corpse and places it in her own home. Ultimately, the man realizes that his mother has engineered and corrected everything in his life; he turns himself in to the authorities with determination to finally take command of his own course, even though it means he’ll likely go to jail.
As a filmmaker and native of China, Yuanhao sees a mutually beneficial future for artist of both countries through collaboration in film. He often brings investors from China aboard his productions, creating the stories which American filmmakers might be too cautious to pursue. Conceding that A Mother’s Love put his abilities to the test, he’s happy to be a part of laying a foundation for continued integration of creatives from both countries.
Yuanhao explains, “I enjoyed the tension that we created in the film. We challenged and pushed ourselves to be better filmmakers. I`m so glad we found problems that we hadn`t met before, that`s good training for my team.The story of this film is about parenting, which is big issue both in America and China. I knew this common element would interest Chinese investors. There’s a lot more that connects all of us than we recognize. Exploring these stories is very interesting to me.”
Krishan Jangir