You become the movie you are making.

I'm not a romantic. In life I didn't have much experience with romance.

I think the book struck me in a few ways that I thought very interesting to pick it as my first martial arts film. It has a very strong female character and it was very abundant in classic Chinese textures.

Even the favorite reviews, the audience response is the movie is too slow, deliberately slow. But for the Chinese audience, the biggest complaint is it happens too quick. I think the historical background that build into our genes is different. American people has never been occupied. The deep sadness and sentimentality, the cultural background that relates to melodrama that we relate to and grow up with, the propaganda, I didn't imagine the difference is so big. It's a very interesting cultural phenomenon.

We need storytelling. Otherwise life just goes on and on, like the number Pi.

After making several tragic movies in a row, I was looking to do a comedy, and one without cynicism.

I look at American movies, the big muscles, and try to apply that to Chinese film-making.