On 28 March, the roadshow of "Journey to the West" in Shanghai officially began at the Grand Theater on the Changlin Road Campus of Shanghai Theatre Academy.
This event was hosted by the Film Directing Department of the Shanghai Theatre Academy College of Film A and the main creative team of the "Journey to the West", and organized by the STA Performing Arts Centre and the STA Experimental Film Studio. The audience present onsite included teachers and students of STA, media representatives, and also film fans from outside the University.
"Journey to the West" is a science fiction comedy film directed by Kong Dashan and starring Yang Haoyu and Alia, and will hit major cinemas across the country on 1 April.
This film tells the story of Tang Zhijun, the editor-in-chief of “Cosmic Exploration” magazine and a middle-aged man obsessed with searching for extraterrestrial civilization, who embarks on a journey with his friends after receiving a mysterious alien signal. There are ups and downs along the journey, as well as laughter and tears. In the end, being a persistent person as he is, he catches a glimpse of the light of extraterrestrial civilization, and a question that has troubled him for a long time is also answered.
This film is presented in the form of a mock documentary, comprising all such elements as comedy, science fiction, thriller and art. Everyone audience also seemed to be on this journey to find aliens and become a member of the team. From time to time, bursts of laughter erupted in the theatre.
After the screening, members of the main creative team, namely, Kong Dashan, Wang Yitong and Jiang Qiming, went onto the stage to talk with the audience. Many audiences raised their hands and asked questions to share their reflection and confusion about the film. The atmosphere at the scene was particularly lively. This roadshow also opened a channel to receive questions via Weibo.
In the middle of the exchange, Yang Haoyu, the actor playing the role of Tang Zhijun, appeared on the stage as a good surprise. As a Year 1997 alumnus of the Department of Acting of Shanghai Theatre Academy, he came especially to visit his alma mater and share and communicate with the current students. He recounted his memories of the time at the University, and shared many acting experiences besides answering the questions about the film.
At the end of the roadshow, all present at the event tool a group photo together. This roadshow was also a valuable learning opportunity for our students at the STA College of Film. Both the film itself and the communication with the creators of the film could bring us new inspiration and inspiration. It was hoped that we could savor carefully, and feel with our hearts.
