Wolf Totem (film)
Wolf Totem | ||
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Hanyu Pinyin | láng túténg | |
Directed by | Jean-Jacques Annaud | |
Screenplay by |
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Based on | Wolf Totem by Jiang Rong | |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Jean-Marie Dreujou | |
Edited by | Reynald Bertrand | |
Music by | James Horner | |
Production company | (see notes) | |
Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 121 minutes | |
Countries |
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Languages | ||
Budget | US$38 million[1] | |
Box office | US$125.7 million[2] |
Wolf Totem (
The Beijing Forbidden City Film Corporation initially sought to hire a Chinese director, but filming humans with real wolves was considered too difficult. New Zealand director
The film premiered at the
Premise
In 1969, student Chen Zhen (simplified Chinese: 陈阵; traditional Chinese: 陳陣) is sent to the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia to teach shepherds. Instead, he learns about the shepherds and the bond they share with the wolves, a bond that is threatened by a government apparatchik.[5]
Cast
- Feng Shaofeng as Chen Zhen
- Shawn Dou as Yang Ke
- Ankhnyam Ragchaa as Gasma
- Basen Zhabu as Bilig
- Yin Zhusheng as Bao Shungui
- Baoyingexige
- Tumenbayar
- Xilindule
- Bao Hailong
Production
Wolf Totem is based on the 2004 Chinese semi-autobiographical novel
By August 2009, Annaud began developing the project and scouting locations in China with Jiamin,[13] whom he had befriended. The filmmakers acquired wolves to raise and train in preparation for filming. The director worked on the first outline with writing partner Alain Godard, who died before they finished it. Annaud brought a draft to China in mid-2012. Chinese screenwriter Lu Wei wrote the second and third drafts of the screenplay.[6] The draft was translated to French for Annaud to give feedback, and it was subsequently translated back to Chinese for Jiamin to revise.[citation needed] Preliminary filming of Wolf Totem began in July 2012.[14]
By 2013, Qiang had moved on to become vice president of China Film Group, which now backed the film. Bill Kong, CEO of Edko Films, had joined the project in 2010. In April 2013, a co-production deal between China Film Group and Edko Films was signed at the Beijing Film Market. Actors
Animal training
In the novel and the film, Chen Zhen is sent to work on the steppes of
Annaud and others visited zoos around China to find wolf pups to acquire for the film. He said, "Wolves in Mongolia are very different from North American wolves. They are brown with bright eyes. They are more the color of lions."[6] A dozen pups were acquired from a local zoo in Harbin.[8] The filmmakers hired Scottish animal trainer Andrew Simpson to raise and train the wolves,[21] which ultimately numbered 35.[14] Since China has a dwindling wolf population, the government did not allow any wolves to leave. Simpson moved from his ranch in Canada to China to train the wolves to sit, snarl, and fight on cue.[21] Four bases were built in Inner Mongolia and in Beijing for raising and training the wolves.[14] The wolves were trained for over four years to be used in the film.[8] Training revolved around feeding the wolves. They had a diet of dried dog food and chopped chicken, but during training, Simpson fed them "ruby red cubes" of fresh meat.[21] The wolves were kept under control behind long, double fences and were trained not to avoid the cameras.[14] During filming, the crew permitted the wolves to rest every hour. Despite precautions, actor Feng Shaofeng was injured by a wolf.[17] While Annaud filmed live footage of the wolves, he planned to use technology in post-production to create scenes that would normally be impossible to film. After filming, the wolves were ultimately relocated to Canada since they only understood commands in English.[8]
Other animals were also prepared for filming. The Mongolian gazelle was difficult to find in Inner Mongolia, so filmmakers had to travel to the neighboring country of Mongolia to acquire gazelles.[citation needed]
Director's relationship with China
French director Jean-Jacques Annaud filmed
Annaud said in 2012 that he was mistaken in assuming that it was acceptable to cover historical conflicts in retrospect, like with France, Algeria, and the Algerian War. The director said, "My mistake was to think that it was the same in China regarding Tibet. I realize now that it was seen as something very intrusive, which was not my intention." He said he did not have to apologize for directing the film.[6] He said, "I offended China with Seven Years and it's quite something that after this we have decided not to speak about it. I'm very grateful; it says a lot about China today."[11] The director described Wolf Totem as "much more complicated, fascinating, amusing" than others realize. The director said he would not have made the film if Chinese authorities did not like it.[5] The Associated Press said in 2009, "Annaud will have to make an apolitical interpretation of the novel to pass Chinese film censorship." It reported that Beijing Forbidden City Film Co. avoided the book's political message and instead described it as "an environmental protection-themed novel about the relationship between man and nature, man and animal".[22]
In the weeks leading up to Wolf Totem's release, Annaud said that Chinese censors did not modify his screenplay. Reuters said, "[The film] deals with conservation themes head on, though it largely avoids the book's more subtle political issues."[23] The Economist said Annaud originally said that he did not have to apologize for Seven Years in Tibet but that he had apologized in December 2009, "In an open letter circulated in Chinese online (a liberal but generally fair translation, he says), Mr. Annaud declared he had 'never supported Tibet's independence' and had no 'personal relationship' with the Dalai Lama." The Economist said Annaud's self-criticism likely helped protect the film against Chinese critics who did not support its production.[24]
Chinese-French relations in film
In January 2015, Entgroup cited Annaud's involvement with Wolf Totem as part of a trend that European directors were turning to China instead of Hollywood.[25] Yibada reported, "The French filmmaker told reporters that he is aware that he might have been an exception in the realm of censorship, as the film is being promoted as an exemplar of Sino-French cultural relations."[26] The Hollywood Reporter said with Wolf Totem's debut, "Execs are keen to learn about France's expertise in pacting with the world's second largest film market." A co-production treaty between China and France was signed in 2010, and Wolf Totem was among the first eight official co-productions to date.[19]
Theatrical screenings
The film premiered at the
The French film company
Wolf Totem had preview screenings in China starting on February 14, 2015. The film grossed US$7.4 million in preview screenings. The film was officially released in China on February 19, 2015 for the start of the Chinese New Year.[30]
With the presence of Ankhnyam Ragchaa, the movie premiered in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on 27 February 2015.[31] A Mongolian-language version of the film will also be released so audiences unfamiliar with Mandarin Chinese could see it.[32]
The film grossed US$122,745,328 worldwide,[33] with US$110.95 million from China[34] and US$8,811,832 from France.[33]
Critical reception
Wolf Totem received mixed to positive reviews. As of June 2020[update], the film holds a 67% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 30 reviews with an average rating of 6.55 out of 10. The consensus states: "As a visual experience, Wolf Totem boasts thrills that compensate for the significant narrative sacrifices made in bringing Jiang Rong's novel to the screen."[35] On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 58 out of 100, based on 13 reviews, signifying "mixed or average reviews".[36]
Maggie Lee, reviewing for Variety, said, "Despite its magnificent natural vistas and some pulse-pounding action in stunning 3D, 'Wolf Totem' boils down to a familiar environmentalist allegory that doesn't move or provoke too deeply." Lee said Jean-Marie Dreujou's cinematography "rivetingly conveys" the wolves' primal behavior but that the film failed to authentically dramatize the friction between humans and animals. She found the film to lack any "new perspective to environmental themes long expounded on in the West" and that the screenplay "considerably softened" the devastation and led to a weak conclusion. The critic also found the book's "thought-provoking cultural-political subtext" missing from the film and that the film's character development was weak with a "too muted" potential romance introduced late in the film. Lee commended the visual effects of the wolves in motion and composer James Horner's score for its "strong emotional sweep" in non-dialogue scenes.[37]
Accolades
Ceremony | Category | Recipient | Result |
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Beijing International Film Festival | Best Picture | Wolf Totem | Nominated |
Best Director | Jean-Jacques Annaud | Won | |
Best Visual Effects | Christian Rajaud and Jianquan Guo | Won | |
Beijing College Student Film Festival | Best Film | Wolf Totem | Nominated |
Best Director | Jean-Jacques Annaud | Won | |
Camerimage | Main Competition (Golden Frog) | Jean-Marie Dreujou | Nominated |
Best 3D Film | Nominated | ||
China Film Director's Guild Awards | Best Screenplay | Wei Lu
|
Nominated |
Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards | Best Visual Effects | Christian Rajaud and Jianquan Guo | Nominated |
Golden Rooster Awards | Best Picture | Wolf Totem | Won |
Best Art Director | Rongzhe Quan | Won | |
Best Sound | Gang Wang | Nominated | |
Hong Kong Film Award | Best Film from Mainland and Taiwan | Wolf Totem | Nominated |
Hundred Flowers Awards | Best Actor | Feng Shaofeng | Won |
International Film Music Critics Award | Best Original Score for a Drama Film | James Horner | Won |
Film Score of the Year | Nominated | ||
Film Music Composition of the Year | Nominated | ||
Macau International Movie Festival | Best Picture | Jean-Jacques Annaud | Won |
Best Director | Won | ||
Best Cinematography | Jean-Marie Dreujou | Won | |
Saturn Award
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Best DVD or Blu-ray Release | Wolf Totem | Nominated |
Shanghai Film Critics Awards | Film of Merit | Won |
Notes
- Variety details the production, "(China-France) A Mars Distribution (in France)/China Film Co. (in China)/Edko Films (in Hong Kong) release of a China Film Co., Beijing Forbidden City Film Co., Reperage, China Movie Channel, Beijing Phoenix Entertainment Co., Chinavision Media Group, Mars Films, Wild Bunch Groupe Herodiade, Loull Prod. presentation of a China Film Co., Loull Prod. production."[37]
References
- ^ Patrick Frater (February 23, 2015). "Jackie Chan's 'Dragon Blade' Scores $55 Million to Head China's New Year Box Office". Variety. Retrieved February 24, 2015.
- Box office Mojo. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
- ^ Brzeski, Patrick (22 September 2015). "China Confirms 'Wolf Totem' as Oscar Submission Amid Controversy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ "81 Countries In Competition For 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar". AMPAS. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Hopewell, John (May 19, 2013). "Director Jean-Jacques Annaud Presents 'Wolf Totem'". Variety. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g Landreth, Jonathan (June 15, 2012). "Shanghai Film Fest: Q&A with director Jean-Jacques Annaud". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- ^ a b c d e f g Lin, Lilian (May 27, 2014). "To Film 'Wolf Totem,' French Director Raised Chinese Wolves". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- Xinhua. Archived from the originalon June 15, 2005. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
- ^ French, Howard W. (November 3, 2005). "A Novel, by Someone, Takes China by Storm". The New York Times. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e Shoard, Catherine (May 30, 2013). "Jean-Jacques Annaud: 'People who make films are in danger every day'". The Guardian. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c Tsui, Clarence (May 7, 2013). "Cannes: French Co-Production 'Wolf Totem' Casts Chinese Stars in Lead Roles". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ Coonan, Clifford (August 21, 2009). "Annaud to direct 'Wolf Totem'". Variety. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f Rui, Zhang (April 23, 2014). "'Wolf Totem' director to showcase real wolves". China.org.cn. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
- ^ a b c Dragut, Andreea (May 30, 2014). "Watch: French Director raised wolves in Inner Mongolia for 'Wolf Totem'". Shanghaiist.com. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ Yu, Fu (December 5, 2014). "Environmental Protection While Filming Wolf Totem Worth It: Director". english.cri.cn. China Radio International. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ a b Xiaodong, Wu (September 17, 2014). "Annaud: Dancing with wolves in his new movie". People's Daily. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ Staff (February 5, 2015). "Sino-French film 'Wolf Totem' world premiere". english.cntv.cn. China Central Television. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c Coonan, Clifford (February 8, 2015). "Berlin: France Setting the Pace On China Co-Productions". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ Flood, Alison (August 20, 2009). "Wolf-training follows tigers and bears for director Jean-Jacques Annaud". The Guardian. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ a b c Thorniley, Tessa (June 25, 2012). "Andrew Simpson: the wolf whisperer". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on June 25, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
- Seattle Times. Associated Press. Retrieved September 23, 2014.
- ^ Martina, Michael (February 1, 2015). "French 'Wolf Totem' director says China censors gave him 'carte blanche'". reuters.com. Reuters. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ Staff (February 14, 2015). "Film: In wolves' clothing". The Economist. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- Xinhua. Archived from the originalon January 10, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ^ Coltrane, Mason (February 5, 2015). "'Wolf Totem' Director's Cut of the Film Will Be Seen by Chinese Audiences". yibada.com. Yibada. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ Shackleton, Liz (January 12, 2015). "Alibaba Pictures unveils Wong Kar Wai project". ScreenDaily. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ^ Goodfellow, Melanie (February 9, 2013). "Wild Bunch to run with Wolf Totem". ScreenDaily. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ^ Hopewell, John; Keslassy, Elsa (January 20, 2015). "'Belier,' Wild Bunch Promo, 'Daddy or Mommy' Highlights at 2015 UniFrance Rendez-vous". Variety. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ^ Makinen, Julie (February 17, 2015). "At China box office, local romance bests 'Hunger Games'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
- ^ "Movie "Wolf Totem" premiered in Mongolia - Xinhua | English.news.cn". news.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 2015-03-02.
- ^ Staff (February 11, 2015). "China Exclusive: 'Wolf Totem' celebrates love for nature on and off screen". Shanghai Daily. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ^ a b "Le Dernier loup". jpbox-office.com (in French). Retrieved June 10, 2015.
- ^ "Weekly box office". Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
- ^ "Wolf Totem (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
- ^ "Wolf Totem". Metacritic. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
- ^ a b Lee, Maggie (February 10, 2015). "Berlin Film Review: 'Wolf Totem'". Variety. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
External links
- Wolf Totem at IMDb
- Wolf Totem at Rotten Tomatoes
- Wolf Totem at Metacritic